The Hunt For the Sword of Legend
by kojika00
Summary: From the artist formly known as malitiadixie. Inuyasha drops everything in his life to find something he has looked for, for ten years. In his travels he meets a lawyer named Kagome Higarashi. Will they find love in the middle of adventure and mystery?
1. Prelogue

This is my first fan fic. I hope you all enjoy it. Feedback is something that all authors like. If you think I'm going to fast or to slow, let me know. Also, if you would like to see more of someone or less of someone please tell me. I will try my best to get it done. I will also try to update every week. Sometimes it may be sooner. Just depends on how tired I am at the end of the day.

I based Inuyasha's character off of Indiana Jones. I watched it the other day and figured that it would be a perfect match for Inuyasha.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Inuyasha. Nor do I own Indiana Jones or Friends. If I did, I wouldn't live in a glorified hunting shack.

Prologue:

The News of a Lifetime

"When we come back from break, I expect your paper on King Tut to be ready and waiting for me to grade. No exceptions this time. You've had four weeks to get it done and I'll accept no late papers. If it's not complete then you didn't do it, as far as I'm concerned."

All of Inuyasha's students filed out of the dimly lit classroom. Grumbles and groans were heard from some as they were leaving. They weren't happy about spending their spring break on a paper, but no verbal complaints were made. They knew the reputation of their professor. He was a great teacher if you really wanted to learn. He had a passion for his subject of choice, archeology, that none rivaled. However, he was not known for being lenient. He had made a name for himself years ago for throwing students out of his class for griping about due dates on homework. They would unhappily "suck it up and drive on" if they wanted to stay in the teacher's good graces.

After all the students had departed, Professor Inuyasha Tanaka let his mind wander.

'I wonder what kind of trouble Myoga has planed for me. I usually only have a couple of days of fun. Will it be a Ming Dynasty vase? What about a famous French painting that had been missing for centuries? Ah, who cares? I'd find Anastasia herself at this point. As long as he has something set up for me, I'll let the old bastard live.'

Inuyasha smiled to himself at the joke in his head. And what a lovely head at that. Long, silvery white locks cascaded down his muscular back. Not that you could tell it was a muscular back by looking at him now. He was wearing a black, button-up dress shirt with a black blazer and a simple red tie. Black dress slacks pleated to the bottom cuff were adorning his strong legs. The only thing that made him look not so much like a bank manager were the red Converse sneakers that were laced loosely around his feet. He never could stand wearing dress shoes, much to the rest of the staff's dismay. He always wore some kind of comfortable shoe.

You would think the silver hair and brightly colored shoes would be enough to set him apart from others. But you would be sorely mistaken. Inuyasha had one more trait that made him different from everyone else. Two perfectly shaped eyes the color of molten gold were what every female that met him would rave about. He could tell by now when someone was looking at him in the eyes and when someone was looking at his eyes. It was a distinct glazed-over look all the girls in his classes would get when they were asking a question or making a comment to him. It never really bothered him too much. He had made his peace with his unusual looks a long time ago. All the men in his family had the same striking features. Long silver hair, deep golden eyes, and naturally bronzed skin.

After realizing that he was still sitting in an empty classroom, his smile tuned to his customary scowl. His picked up his notes on that afternoon's lesson and tucked the chair he had been seated upon back under the heavy oak desk. Inuyasha walked across the echoing room, stepped out of the door and locked it behind himself after checking to see if his keys were in his pocket. Walking down the almost abandoned hallways to his private office, he began to wonder again what country he would be going to this time.

Other than being a collage professor, Inuyasha was also on call for a museum near the university he spent most of his days in. He was not only the foremost expert on everything old and rare; he was also an adventure and danger lover. He would go wherever they asked him to go, to get whatever they asked him to get. Sometimes he got into a dangerous situation but most of the time it was, "Go to this place and pick this up before someone steals it and sells it on the black market". Personally, his philosophy was the more danger the better. On the other hand, as long as he had some kind of "mission", he was happy.

As he opened the door to his office, his blazer came off and was placed not so neatly over a chair that was already piled high with what looked like old and dusty books. Next to go was the red tie and a few of the top buttons.

Inuyasha sat down in the brown leather chair behind a large cherry wood desk. He pushed the play button on his answering machine and started to shuffle through a few of the papers on his desk.

The first message was from his asshole brother.

"I hope you are doing well, little brother. Rin has made me promise that I will call you and see if you will join us for dinner. I know you have a week off from teaching duties so you will do well to make some time. Those stupid little outings you go on, on the weekends will just have to wait."

"Stupid, no good, asshole…" Inuyasha mumbled to himself after he erased the message.

The next was the one he had been hoping for.

"Inuyasha sir, it's Myoga. I hope you are well. I have great news for you. Call me when you get this."

Inuyasha didn't even bother to erase the message as he picked up the receiver to dial the number to the museum.

"Museum of Natural History and Archeology. How may I direct your call?"

"Myoga, please."

"One moment, please."

Inuyasha waited for what felt like an eternity. No one had ever called him patient and not laughed at their own joke afterwards.

"This is Myoga Suzuki."

"So what's this good news, old man? It better be something to keep me away all week or I'll have no excuse for my stuck up brother when he asks me why I didn't eat dinner with him this week."

"And why would your brother, who shows no qualms at reminding you how much he doesn't like you, ask you to dinner?"

"Rin made him promise to ask me. Now get to the part where you tell me where I'm going. I don't have all day to sit around and converse with an old bastard like you."

Chuckling, Myoga tried not to delay anymore. He was excited about the phone call he received two days prior and knew that Inuyasha would be ecstatic. "I got a call from a lawyer in Japan a few days ago with some good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

"Bad news first." Inuyasha was starting to get impatient again and wanted him to get to the point.

"Well, the bad news is that our dear friend Kaede Sato has passed away."

"Well that sucks. She donated a lot of money over the years to you guys. Good news?"

"She left in her will a clue to the whereabouts of a specific sword; one that you and your brother have been interested in for quite a good many years."

That got Inuyasha's attention. "I knew when we asked her about it, she knew more than she was letting on! How do we get the clue? They won't just let us read her will without express permission from a relative."

"That's the even better news. She willed all of her estate to the museum. All her money and antiques that she has gathered over the years will belong to us once we sign a few papers. We have every right to whatever is written in her will. That's why they called me. Her lawyer, Kagome Higarashi, needs me to come to Japan and sign a few papers. I want you to go with me, and help me figure out the clue."

"When do we leave?" He was always a man of few words.

"Tomorrow morning. Be packed and at my home at 6:00am. Our plane leaves at 8. I'll see you then. Bye."

"Bye."

Inuyasha hung up the phone and felt his jaw go slack. All this time doing research and interviewing people had been a waste. The old bat had known where it was the whole time. She was one of the first stops he and his brother had made trying to find the brother sword to the one already in Sesshoumaru's possession. 'That old hag' thought Inuyasha. 'She could have told us five years ago that she knew where it was. Myoga said that it was a clue in her will, not the actual location. Old bitch is still trying to jerk us around, even in the grave.'

Inuyasha was still mumbling to himself about crotchety, shriveled up old bats as he drove home.

As happy as he was to finally have a clue as to where the sword he had spent ten years of his life obsessed with was, he was hesitant as well. He wished he didn't have to tell his brother where he was going.

He and his brother, Sesshoumaru, where alike in the fact that they both appreciated antiques and history. The difference in the two was the fact that while Inuyasha thought that history belonged to the public, Sesshoumaru liked to keep all the artifacts he found to himself. He had a massive private collection. The reason he had to tell his brother where he was going was because if Sessh found on his own, it would be nasty. Sessh was almost as obsessed with the swords as he was. After considering this, Inuyasha decided to give his bastard half-brother a call before he left the next morning for Tokyo.

Inuyasha sauntered into his barely furnished apartment at 7pm. The first thing he did was lose the restricting clothing at the door. He then made his way to the kitchen. Inuyasha could cook but hated to clean the mess afterwards. He went for the easily cleanable ramen instead. It was his favorite food in the world and it was easy to make. He pulled several packages from the cabinet and started heating some water in the microwave.

As the ramen he loved so much was "cooking", he decided to see if his friend would be up for an adventure. Sango was a fellow adventure lover. Whenever he had a mission that he knew would be a real challenge, he called her. She was very resourceful and brave. He could use someone like that on this little excursion. Inuyasha pulled his cell phone out of the dress pants sloppily laid on the couch. He dialed Sango number and sat down at the kitchen table in front of his beloved noodles.

"Inuyasha, this had better be good. My favorite show is on and it's a commercial. You have about four minutes to say what you have to say."

'That's my Sango,' Inuyasha thought. "I was just wondering what you would be up to next week. I might have something for you to do, other than watching reruns of Friends."

"Well, what is it this time? Did some village have their idiot stolen?"

"It's the Tetsusaiga."

"When and where do I meet you?" Sango was euphoric. This was the find of a lifetime. She knew this because as long as she had known Inuyasha, all he could talk about was the Tetsusaiga. It was the Holy Grail to him.

She also knew that this was going to be no easy job. If he was calling her, it couldn't be as simple as picking the sword of legend up at some dealer shop. Sango was ripped from her thoughts as Inuyasha answered her question.

"Meet me at Myoga's at 6:00 am. I don't know what this trip will involve except reading some wrinkled old crone's will. Pack to expect the worst."

"Okay, I'll se ya tomorrow. Later!"

"Later."

Inuyasha pushed the end button on his cell. As he thought about what might be in store for him when he got to Tokyo, he downed his ramen with ease.

'I wonder if Sessh will want to meet us there. Maybe I shouldn't call him. No, he'll just find out some other way and surprise me. I hate surprises.'

The next week would indeed be interesting. If he only knew what he was getting into, he might have reconsidered that dinner date with Sesshoumaru and Rin.

(Updated on 1/19/08)


	2. Chapter 1

Ahhh, another chapter. I wasn't going to put up another one until Tuesday but I got finished with it tonight so, here it is! I hope you enjoy it. Also, I wanted to ask you again to please review. If only for my sanity, please. I'm so OCD about grammar and spelling. If you see something off that needs to be changed please let me know. I think I spend more time rereading than I actually do writing.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha. For that matter, I don't own Jerry Springer either. That could be fun though. If you ever wonder what people will do for a little money and a free trip, watch that show. I'm embaressed for them it's so appalling.

Chapter 1:

Setting Out and Eating In

Inuyasha pulled into Myoga's driveway at 6:00 on the dot. He was always a stickler for promptness. He still hadn't called his brother. He dreaded the call more than the flight that would take way to long, in his opinion. That was saying something.

Inuyasha parked his Dodge Ram and looked in the rearview mirror. 'Looks like Sango made it,' he thought to himself as he watched the teal Toyota pull in behind his truck. He put his shades on his head, retrieved his keys from the ignition and stepped out of the vehicle. Inuyasha looked up to see an older, balding man coming down the stairs of a massive estate.

Inuyasha and Myoga had been associated with one another for a very long time. He and Inuyasha's father had been friends even before Sesshoumaru was born. Myoga was a short and round man with a bushy mustache that looked like it was growing more from his nose than his lip. His white, unruly hair circled his balding head like a snowy wreath. Inuyasha found himself fighting off a smile at the familiar old man hobbling down the brick stairs.

"I see you made it on time Mr. Tanaka. And Miss Sango will be joining us I gather."

"Yeah, I called her last night. I figured she could be of some help. We don't really know what we're up against. I told her to pack for anything, but I didn't think she would pack everything."

Sango was trying to drag her sizeable amount of luggage up the driveway as Inuyasha was making the joke at her expense. Even though she was a female through and through, he knew better than to think that more than one bag was clothes. Sango was the kind of woman that relied on her natural beauty and simple clothing choices to contain her assets. What was in the other five bags were probably weapons, books, a chemistry set and a few other things they might need. Seeing how much she was struggling, and hearing Myoga chuckle, Inuyasha moved to take a few of those bags from her. Taking four of them off her hands and noting that they **were **really heavy, he walked the last couple of yards to place her bags next to Myoga's in the long, black town car.

After Sango put the rest of her luggage in the back of the car as well, she stepped back and Inuyasha got a good look at her.

Inuyasha always thought Sango was beautiful in a very conventional sort of way. She was almost as tall as he was and had a very lean figure. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and her coffee brown eyes were always shining. She had pale, ivory skin and long limbs. Inuyasha wondered why, not for the first time, he had never felt anything more than friendship for the girl. He supposed it was because he felt she was more like the sister he never had than anything else. He also supposed she felt the same about him. As the woman upon whom he had been pondering spoke, he stopped his musing.

"Sorry I brought so much. I just felt like I needed to be prepared. I would hate to go all the way to Tokyo and realize I left something we might need."

"That's okay Sango", Myoga said with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm glad at least one of us is prepared for anything. I'm also glad Inuyasha called you. We will probably use your expertise in the coming week. No telling what kind of adventure we're in for."

Inuyasha was gathering his own things from his truck as he noticed another car coming down the driveway.

"Hey, old man. Expecting company?"

"That will be Kikyo. I asked her to meet us here before we left so we could make arrangements for the sword. The museum can't afford to take it right now. The Tetsusaiga deserves a large exhibit and she can offer that. After my museum gets a little more funding, she will give it back to us. We are loaning it more than anything else."

Kikyo Sasaki. She was the owner of a private collection much like Sesshoumaru's. Though, unlike Sesshoumaru, Kikyo loaned out her collection to major museums. As far as Inuyasha could tell, her philosophy was much like his own. Art and history belonged to the people. Everyone should be able to view and learn where their world had been.

Miss Sasaki stepped out of the black limo looking like a super model. She was tall and curvy in all the right places. Her attractive black hair was flowing past her waist and she walked as if she owned the world. Inuyasha and she had gone out on a few dates by suggestion of Myoga. She was wonderful and kind and everything else he looked for in a woman. However, Inuyasha could never shake the feeling that she was hiding something; as if it were all an act. Her eyes were what did it to him, he finally decided one day. The rest of her was warm, but her eyes were cold and unfeeling. Something in his gut churned when she looked at him with those eyes.

"Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Suzuki." She said as she shook their hands firmly. Kikyo eyed Sango and moved to shake her hand as well.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Kikyo Sasaki. And you are?"

"I'm Sango." Sango replied as she matched Kikyo's granite handshake with one of her own. "Sango Itou. I'm a personal friend of Inuyasha's."

"Is that so?" 'There were those cold, unfeeling eyes again', Inuyasha thought as he watched Kikyo size up Sango.

"Well, I know that you three must be going so I'll get right down to business. All I need you to do is sign these papers stating that after the sword is procured, it will be in my possession until such time as The Museum of Natural History and Archeology asks for it back. By signing these papers, you also give me permission to loan the sword out to other museums until such time as your museum can obtain a permanent exhibit."

"Do you have a pen?" asked Myoga. He trusted Kikyo and if she said that's what the papers said, then he would sign them and let her be on her way.

"Here you are." Kikyo stated as she reached in her very expensive blazer and retrieved a silver pen.

"Thank you." Myoga placed the contract on the hood of his town car and carefully signed his name.

Kikyo grabbed the stack of paperwork for him, handed him a copy and bid them thank you and farewell.

As the three of them watched Kikyo's limo drive back down the driveway, Sango saw fit to break the silence.

"Do you trust her that much that you would sign a contract without reading it?"

Myoga cleared his throat. "I know that you may not understand this, but bear with me. Kikyo is not without the ability to deceive. However, from dealing with her for this long, I know that she is more the type to tell you outright what she is planning rather than leaving people guessing what she's up to. She would never be able to keep a smug look off her face while I was signing if she was up to something. I've seen that look on her face too many times not to be able to recognize it."

That settled Sango's mind for the moment. She still didn't like the way the haughty bitch looked at her. It was almost as if she was trying to look through her to her weaknesses. Sango shivered at the thought.

"Well, let's get this show on the road. That plane won't wait just for us, ya know."

As usual, Inuyasha got straight to the point. They all piled into the sleek, dark car. Inuyasha, Sango, and Myoga all let the silence surround them; each one unwilling to break the peace. They were glad to have a moment to themselves. They thought about where they were going and what they would do when they got there. What would be waiting for them in Tokyo? Would it be a simple mission? Of course not. Nothing that had anything to do with **that** sword was easy. Was it another wild goose chase then? Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had had plenty of them before. Why would this one be any different? Sesshoumaru.

"Shit!"

The outburst from Inuyasha startled the rest from the questions and pondering they had entered upon.

"God, Inuyasha, don't scare me like that." Sango gasped as she clutched her chest dramatically.

"I have to call Sessh. I really don't want to call him, but if I don't and he finds out anyway, I'm doomed."

"Well, you had better call him them." Myoga said wisely handing him a cell phone.

"Gee, thanks." was Inuyasha's reply.

Looking suddenly sullen, he stroked the numbered key pad on the petite phone. It rang a few times and soon a silky voice answered.

"Sesshoumaru Tanaka."

"Sessh, how's it going?"

"It will be going well when you tell me what time you will be here for dinner tonight. Ren has made her mind up about you coming to spend 'quality time' with me, much to my distaste."

"Come off it Sessh. Must you be such a pompous asshole so early in the morning? Besides, I have good news and great news for you."

"And what would that be, little brother." Inuyasha bristled at his tone. He had half a mind to hang up the phone. But this had to be done.

"Well, the good news is that you won't have to eat dinner with me."

"Why?"

"That's the great news. I have a lead on the Tetsusaiga."

"Explain." Sesshoumaru had a way of never really asking someone to do something. Inuyasha thought, on many occasions, that Sessh would make a great drill sergeant.

"An old woman that donated a lot of money in the past to the museum kicked the bucket. She collected quite a mass of history herself. The lawyer in charge of her will called Myoga and told him that a clue to the sword's whereabouts was in the document. We're on our way to Tokyo now."

"And you decided not to call me sooner?"

"Yeah, so what."

"Did it not occur to that feeble mind of yours that I might have wanted to accompany you on this trip?"

"That's exactly the reason I didn't call you until now. I don't want that feeble mind of yours thinking that when we find the sword that we'll give it to you. Be mad all you want Sessh, but I'm not letting a piece of history that important be shut behind closed doors. It's bad enough that you have Tenseiga on lock down."

"It is not my wish to do so. As much as I loathe the idea of the Tetsusaiga being put on display like some common pottery, I understand your reasoning."

'Did Sesshoumaru just agree with me?' Inuyasha thought to himself. He didn't dare ask. He didn't really want to know. 'Who cares?'

"Why would you want to come then?"

"You haven't told anyone else about this little excursion have you, Inuyasha?"

"The only people that know about it are me, Myoga, you, Sango and Kikyo."

"Why that bitch?" Sesshoumaru's tone was clipped. Inuyasha knew why his older brother didn't trust her. Sesshoumaru felt the same way Inuyasha, himself, felt about her. She was nice and all, but nether of the brothers trusted her as far as they could throw her. As Myoga had already said, "Kikyo is not without the ability to deceive".

"Because, the museum doesn't have the money right now to display the sword to it's full potential. Kikyo's just gonna hold it for them until the museum has the funds it needs."

"And why not ask me to hold the Tetsusaiga?" Sesshoumaru was starting to get angry now. His own flesh and blood choose that hussy over him! The outrage!

"Sessh, she's going to loan it out to other museums while she has it. The sword will be safe and the public will get to see it. It would only be under lock and key if you had it, and you know how I feel about that."

"Even so, I do not like her having it. I could have donated the money to the museum it that were the case."

"I know, but the construction for the exhibit would take months and we would still need somewhere safe to keep it. This way the sword is safe **and** viewable. Although, if you still want to put up the money, I'm sure that Myoga will be thrilled. Please, try to see this from my point of view." Inuyasha would plead with his bastard brother if that's what it took. He didn't need him showing up where he was not wanted. Inuyasha's only hope was to convince Sesshoumaru that he had everything taken care of and preplanned. Spending a week or longer with his brother in close quarters did not appeal to Inuyasha.

"I see." Inuyasha knew that 'I see'. What he really meant was that he would drop it…for now. "You will keep me updated on the search." This was not a request.

"Yeah, sure", Inuyasha grumbled.

"Keep safe little brother, and watch your back." With that, Sesshoumaru ended the phone call.

Inuyasha let out an audible sigh. He handed the cell phone back to Myoga and proceeded to examine the grey carpet that lined the floor. 'What does that son of a bitch know that I don't? And what's with all that 'watch you back' stuff. Something's going on here.'

"I'm guessing that went as well as one could have hoped", Myoga joked. He chuckled to himself.

"Yeah, well, at least he's not going to follow us to Japan."

"That's a relief!" Sango exclaimed. "One pretty boy brat is enough."

"Ha ha, very funny." Sesshoumaru had effectively ruined Inuyasha's rare good mood.

----------------------------------------------

Kagome Higarashi was sitting very still at her desk. She looked like she was staring off into space. Kagome had a unique style about her. Instead of pacing while thinking like most of the people in her business did, she chose to sit perfectly still and go into a meditation like state. It worked for her. Right now, she was contemplating a case that she wasn't sure she could win. This situation rarely happened. Kagome Higarashi was no one to be trifled with. Unlike most lawyers who had a specialty, she liked to dabble in a bit of everything. She had even taken a few murder cases in her day. Kagome was a woman who liked to keep herself challenged. This particular case was a custody battle.

All at once, her trance was broken.

"Miss Higarashi?" A harsh voice came over the intercom.

"What is it?" She demanded of her secretary, Yura.

"Mr. Myoga Suzuki called. He wanted me to let you know that he and two guests will be arriving in Tokyo tomorrow morning. They will make arrangements for a hotel when they get here, and come into the office the next morning."

"Did he say who the guests were?"

"Yes. Their names are Inuyasha Tanaka and Sango Itou. Mr. Suzuki said that they are associates of his, here to help figure out the clue in Kaede Sato's last will and testament."

"Alright. Thank you, Yura."

Kagome looked at the very expensive clock that sat on her large desk. 4:30. "I guess I could leave early", she spoke out loud to no one. Kagome was a loner, so she spoke to herself quite often. It seemed to happen more often than she would ever admit. She went home to only her fat feline, Buyo, and her cousin every night. She never talked to anyone at work expect clients and Yura. Kagome liked it that way. If you never got close to anyone, you could never hurt someone or be hurt yourself. It was a sort of defense mechanism. Unlike most people who did things like that unconsciously, she knew that she was doing it and why.

When she was four, her parents and her little brother were in a horrible car crash. She was staying with her grandfather that night. After the police came and told her and her grandfather what had happened, she was horrified. The only other thing she could remember was when she was at the funeral. Everyone kept telling her how lucky she was. How lucky it was that she was staying with her gramps that night. All she could think about when someone said that was 'How am I lucky? My parents and brother are gone and I'm left here without them.' Sometimes, when she was younger, she wished that she would have been there in the car with them. Every once in a while, she still felt like that.

The other reason happened when she was eighteen. After her parents' and brother's death, Kagome and her grandfather had moved to Tokyo from the United States. She was ten at the time. When she was in high school, her gramps basically ordered her to go to college to be a doctor. Finally, the day before she graduated, she told her gramps that she wouldn't go to college to become a doctor like her parents had been. She told him that she would be going to college to become a lawyer. Her grandfather had been the angriest she had ever seen that night. He had almost thrown her out of her own home before he gained his composure. They had never talked about that night since. But when her gramps looked at her sometimes, she could tell that he still felt betrayed.

For these reasons, Kagome never really wanted to get close to anyone ever again. She never wanted anyone to look at her and see only pain for her actions. She never wanted to care and love someone so much that they could leave her, and make her feel broken and empty. She never dated and she never made friends. This was the only way to protect herself and those around her. The only real friend she had was her cousin, Miroku.

Miroku was the only one, outside of her therapy sessions, she had ever told her feelings on keeping people away to. The only reason he was close to Kagome was because it had never really been an option. He never gave her a choice. He was always staying at her house when she was little. Miroku was the reason she had pursued her desire to become a lawyer, and why she had confronted her grandfather that night. If she ever tried to push him away, he would call her bluff and sagely give her reasons why she should keep him around. Kagome thought about what to fix for dinner for them as she collected the paper on her desk she had been contemplating, and put them in her small, black briefcase.

On her way to the elevators, she told Yura she would be leaving for the day. Gods, she hated elevators. They were never large enough for her tastes. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as the elevator started to move.

"I'm not in an elevator. I'm in a big open field with lots of pretty pink flowers all around me."

Kagome continued to say her elevator mantra until she felt the small, metal box come to a halt. She stepped out and dug in her purse until she felt her keys at the bottom. Coming up to the side of her car she pushed the unlock button on the keypad she held in her hand.

When she got into the car and started the engine, she reached, yet again, into her purse to pull out a small, pink phone. She dialed her home phone number.

----------------------------------------

"RING!!!"

"RING!!!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Hello?"

"Hey, housemate. I left work early today, and was wondering if you wanted take out."

"That would be fine. Where are you going?"

"I'm kind of craving Italian. I thought maybe some lasagna. Is that okay?"

"That sounds perfect. I'll see you at home in a bit."

"Okay, bye, Miroku. Oh, and there better not be a girl shacking up with you at my house!"

"Dear Kagome. Would I do that? You wound me!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Bye."

"Bye."

After Miroku hung up the phone he stared at it for a few moments. "I'm so misunderstood", he said to the enormous cat lying at his feet. Buyo stretched, as did Miroku. Kagome had teased him about Buyo. She said that if they spent anymore time together, they would become the same person. She was referring to the fact that ever since he had moved in with her, the cat had been his shadow. Whenever Miroku went to the bathroom, Buyo was there. It was the same everywhere in the home he and Kagome shared. They ate together, slept together, watched T.V. together; the list didn't end, it seemed. Ah well, it could be worse, he supposed.

After about forty-five minutes of watching Jerry Springer (a wonderful American show, if you asked him) with Buyo, he heard Kagome's little, silver car pull into the driveway. He switched the T.V. off, and went to open the door for her.

Kagome came in with her hands filled up with a big pan of lasagna. Miroku, seeing she was about to drop it, grabbed it from her and set it on the kitchen table. As Kagome went to take care of her nightly ritual, he got plates from the cabinets and forks from the dish drainer. They weren't originally from Japan, so they opted for American contraptions when they could. Both had grown up in America and moved to Japan at a later age for different reasons. Kagome moved because her grandfather felt she needed to be raised in her ancestral country, and Miroku because his parents wanted the best education for their son. It was no secret that Japanese schools were better than their American counterpart. In any case, they were here together. Miroku was very glad that he could be there for his cousin. She had been through a great deal and it seemed that he was the only one she would let into her life. She hardly even talked to their gramps anymore.

"Alright, time to dig in", Kagome said as she came back down the hallway dressed in sweats.

"So, how was work?" Miroku asked right before stuffing his face with a gigantic bite of pasta.

"It was okay. I have some major clients coming in on Monday morning. It's the one coming in to see the will I told you about; the one with the 'clue' in it." Kagome made a face at the word clue. She felt all this mystery was, to put it bluntly, stupid. She couldn't understand what the big deal was about an old sword.

"Well, that might be interesting."

"Yeah, whatever. So how was your day?"

"Oh, same as usual I suppose. Although, I got quite the offer today."

"What was it exactly?" Kagome knew what kind of propositions you could get in Miroku's line of work. Her tone of voice was motherly, at best.

"A very attractive young lady asked me to be her private masseur after I gave her the best one she'd ever had."

"Is that so?" Kagome said cocking an eyebrow. "Surely, you said no."

"Actually, I told her I would think about it."

"Miroku! You slimy letch!" Kagome picked up a piece of garlic bread and heaved it at Miroku.

Miroku dodged the first one, but the second one hit him square in the face. "Hold on a second!" Seeing that Kagome had stopped for the time being, he began to explain.

"Kagome, I assure you that it was a legitimate offer. I told you weeks ago that I thought about becoming my own boss. If I picked her up as a client and word got around, I could have every week booked in no time."

"Well, I suppose you're right. You wouldn't even have to own your own building. You could just buy one of those portable tables and go to each house. Sorry for thinking that your intentions were impure. Although, you have to admit that my reaction was justified."

"Yes. I will give you that. I guess I have that coming." They smiled at each other and continued eating. They played a game most of the time in regards to Miroku's tendencies. Kagome would tease him about it and Miroku would make a show of his 'innocence'. Quite a few times though, Kagome had acted as his lawyer in sexual harassment lawsuits. After the one last year, Kagome told Miroku that was the last time she would do it. She got him off without as much as a hand slap every time. But, after the last time, when she could see that Miroku's offences had really bothered the girl, she told him that she couldn't bring herself to defend him anymore unless she knew that he was innocent. Miroku had understood, much to Kagome's delight. She had almost had one of her panic attacks while trying to tell him. She was sure he would get angry with her and never speak to her again. After he told her that it was fine and he never expected her to do as much as she did, the tunnel vision receded and she flew into his arms thanking him for not being upset.

'Thank the Gods for understanding and wonderful cousins' Kagome thought to herself, as she replayed the scene in her head. She smiled at the vision.

When the two of them finished eating, Kagome gathered the dirty dishes, washed them and put them away. After the long day, that was supposed to be one of her days off, and the full stomach, Kagome was very tired.

"Miro, I think I'll turn in early tonight."

"Okay. Me and Buyo's gonna watch some Jerry for a while. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." At that, Kagome was off to bed by herself. As long as she had any say in the matter, it would always be like this; just her, Miroku, and Buyo. No sense in changing what worked.

As she lay in bed and started to drift to sleep, a strange thought hit her. As much as she thought she didn't want to get involved with anyone, she sort of did in a way. Was there someone out there who could dig their way into to her life, and never leave like Miroku? Right before the darkness of slumber hit her, she mumbled…

…"I hope so."

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Thank you to the one viewer out of thirty-nine that decided to review.

Thank you foxtale3.

This isn't as long as I would have liked it to be, but I didn't want to add things that had no relevance to the story and this seemed like a good place to leave off for next week.

Also, I want to explain a few things about how the characters are setup in my story. Kikyo and Kagome will not look like each other in my story. The way I have told the story so far indicates that Kikyo, Myoga, Inuyasha, and Sango are American. You can also assume that they live in the Southeast. Where specifically, you can decide on your own. Kagome, Miroku, Kaede and a few other characters that have not been announced yet, are Japanese. Therefore, Kaede and Kikyo are not related. I just wanted to get that out in the open before I had questions about it.

Thanks for reading and please review. Let me know if you're enjoying it or not.


	3. Chapter 2

Don't get used to the chapters coming this fast. I thought this one would be really hard to write but when I sat down it just sort of came out like it had a mind of its own. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha and friends. I wonder if she'll ever sell me Sesshoumaru though. If there is such a place a The Resort Hotel, I don't own that either. I picked the most generic sounding name I could, but just in case, here you go.

_Italics_ are Japanese

Chapter 2:

A Meeting of Fate

"Thank you, God!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he stepped off the plane into the terminal. "That was the longest thirteen hours of my life!"

"Don't be so dramatic Inuyasha. It wasn't that bad and you practically slept the whole way here." Sango was sitting in between Inuyasha and Myoga and had to listen to Inuyasha's snoring for a good portion of the flight.

"Feh!" Sango rolled her eyes at the silver haired male's favorite comeback.

The three of them walked to the luggage claim and shortly after found their bags. The two men handled their own by themselves but Sango had to locate a trolley to cart her enormous amount of baggage.

Together they walked out of the airport and searched for a taxi. Hopefully they would find one with a trunk big enough to haul their masses of luggage. As luck would have it, a van-like taxi was going by and they hailed it. After everything was packed into place there was still plenty of room for them to sit comfortably. They were glad to have a little room to breath after the long flight.

The taxi made its way to a very large hotel and stopped at the front entrance. The companions removed themselves from the confines of the vehicle and stepped inside the door that was held open by a bowing man. Making their way to the front desk Myoga saw fit at that moment to explain the sleeping arrangements.

"Inuyasha and I will share a room and Sango will have her own room. The rooms will be conjoining though so we can consort with one another as we see fit. I hope that you don't mind the intrusion, Miss Sango." Myoga was hoping that this was okay. He hadn't said anything until now because the thought hadn't occurred to him until he stepped into the massive lounge/sign-in area.

"That's more than fine Myoga. I would have been content to sleep on a spare mattress in yours' and Inuyasha's room. I didn't bring a lot of money with me so I didn't expect any special treatment."

"Sango," Inuyasha sighed as he slung an arm around her. "I wouldn't ask you to come if I expected you to pay for everything. I asked you here as my guest. And as such I will take care of your room and board."

"I suppose the fact that you're using Sesshoumaru's money for this trip wouldn't have anything to do with that, right?" Sango said, teasingly. She knew that Inuyasha made little money doing what he did. The only reason Inuyasha even put up with his 'superior' brother was because, for some unknown reason, Sessh funded his field trips.

"Yeah well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Even if it is Mr. High and Mighty himself." That earned a light-hearted giggle from the entire entourage. Myoga stepped up to the front desk as the laughter died down.

"_Hello and welcome to The Resort Hotel. May I have your names please?"_

"_We are Myoga Suzuki, Inuyasha Tanaka and Sango Itou. We have reservations for two conjoining rooms."_

"_Ah, yes. Here you are Suzuki-sama. Your three key cards are in the envelope and here is the schedule for the restaurant and the like. We hope you enjoy your stay here at The Resort Hotel." _The tiny Japanese girl bowed and returned to typing on the computer in front of her.

The party rounded the corner from the large desk they had just been standing at and stopped in front of a hallway of elevators.

"What floor are we going to, old man?" Inuyasha was getting irritable from the jet lag and he showed it with no remorse. After Myoga politely told him that they were staying on the fourteenth floor, Inuyasha punched the corresponding button none too calmly and the elevator was set in motion.

"I called the office of the lawyer that summoned me last week. I told her secretary that we would be arriving this morning and that we would be in first thing tomorrow morning. I figured that we could be well rested and settled in by then." Myoga started wondering what this Kagome Higarashi would be like. She seemed very nice when he had spoken with her but lawyers could be tricky.

"That sounds fine. But right now, I would kill for a hot bath!" Sango was looking a little weary herself. "Maybe after we get unpacked we can go down and sample the restaurant's fare."

"I wonder if they have any ramen."

"Inuyasha! Here we are in a beautiful, upscale hotel and you what to know if they have ramen. How do you eat that stuff so often?" Sango had always wondered but never asked. It seemed like every time she had visited the guy in his own home, all he ever wanted to eat when she asked was ramen.

"Well, if you must know, I practically lived off the stuff when I was in college. Back then Sessh wasn't paying for anything. I survived off that and hotdogs from the café on campus. It was the cheapest thing they sold. I haven't eaten a hotdog in years with out being disgusted but ramen was always good as ever. I never seemed to get tired of it. Plus I don't like to cook when it's just me, which is almost always, and it's easy and quick to make. Does that answer your question?" Inuyasha looked at her like she had asked him why he liked to breathe. As if the answer was so obvious that it was painted in the sky with clouds.

"A simple 'because I like it' would have sufficed Inuyasha." Sango returned a scowl of her own.

"Okay you two. I know you're tired and cranky but there is no need to be at each others throats so soon. We will be together for at least a week so try to get along." Myoga was used to breaking up the spats between Sango and Inuyasha. They bickered like brother and sister.

"Feh!" was Inuyasha's retort and Sango just rolled her eyes.

Finally in there respective rooms, they sat and relaxed. "Well, I'm going to take that bath. When I get out I'll go get us something to eat."

"Don't worry about it Sango. I saw a WacDonalds across the street. I'll go get it while you and Myoga settle in. I'm not really as tired as you two are."

"I wonder if that would be because you saw fit to snore in my ear most of the flight." Sango mumbled to herself.

"I heard that, wench. I do NOT snore!"

"Whatever." Sango saw fit to slam the bathroom door making sure she got in the last word.

"Hey!" Inuyasha was about to trample into the bathroom or rip the door off the hinges. Myoga decided to break up this clash as well.

"Inuyasha, I thought you were going to get us some good old American food."

"Shut up old man." Inuyasha grabbed his coat and practically shattered the windows in the room with the force he used to 'shut' the door.

"That temper is going to get him in a lot of trouble one day. Not to mention that mouth." Myoga wondered if Inuyasha would ever tone down his attitude. With a scoff, he answered his own question, "Not likely".

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"That stupid bitch. She's always insulting me when she's grumpy." With a sigh, Inuyasha walked out of the hotel's main doors and started towards the restaurant across the street.

'Well, I guess I'm a little grumpy myself.' Inuyasha thought as he crossed the six lane road. He pushed past all the locals as he made his way along the crosswalk. 'I was being pigheaded as well, but she'll know I'm sorry. Even if I don't say so, Sango always knows when I feel bad for something. Just like I know when she's sorry.' Another sigh escaped his lips as he opened the doors to the WacDonalds.

Standing in line, Inuyasha looked up at the lit screen above the registers. Some of the food looked familiar and some didn't. He chose some safe selections that everyone would like. 'Maybe I'll get Sango a hot fudge sundae. Yeah, that will do.'

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Kagome walked down the streets of Tokyo talking to Miroku on her cell phone.

"So are you making lunch or should I pick something up on the way. I'm right in front of a WacDonalds." She was quite for a moment as she listened to Miroku say that he hadn't thought to make anything and if she would so kindly get something, he would pay her back.

"Don't be silly. How many times have you bought lunch for me; and breakfast AND dinner for that matter? Now, tell me what you want." After she heard what Miroku wanted to eat from the greasy diner, she told him bye and hung up the phone.

Standing between the WacDonalds and the building next to it, she looked down and put her cell phone back into her purse.

The next few moments happened in the blink of an eye. Kagome felt like she was suddenly flying. It wasn't until she felt the strong and powerful hands around her middle that she reacted with a squeak of a scream. Almost as fast as she had been picked up, she felt one of the hands that held her clamp over her mouth and the other slam her up against the wall at the back of the alleyway between the two buildings she had been standing in front of only seconds ago. The next breath she let out, she felt a knife against her throat. Snapping her eyes up in panic, she looked at her captor. She could feel his not-so-minty breath hover over her face as she looked at him.

He had deadly black eyes and pale sickly skin. On top of his head was a greasy black mop that just barely passed for hair. Seeing that he had her attention, he chose that moment to speak.

"_You will tell me what the clue is. I will take my hand from your mouth so you can answer. If you so much as _think_ about doing anything but answer, I'll slit you from ear to ear, understand?"_ Kagome almost got sick as she thought about what this man could do to her. Instead of passing out, like she wanted to do, she nodded. The tears that she was so desperately holding back chose this moment to leak out of her nearly blood shot eyes.

"_Good."_ He said. Then he removed his hand slowly_. "Now, you will tell me what the clue is."_

"_I don't know what you're talking about sir. What clue?"_ The attacker slammed her against the brick wall again and dug the knife a little deeper into her throat. Kagome sucked in a breath and cast her eyes down. Trying not to get sick, she heard the attacker speak again in a more aggressive voice. She could barely make out what he was saying through the buzzing in her ears.

"_Don't you dare play dumb with me! The clue about the sword in Kaede Sato's will. Tell me what it is, bitch, and you won't die."_ Kagome was near panic at this point. She could feel the blood rushing through her veins under the cold steal of the knife pushed none too lightly at her jugular. Just as she was about to tell him that she didn't know, which she was sure would end her life, the knife's pressure slackened. Feeling dizzy and sick, she barely made out a blur of silver before she passed out.

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Inuyasha paid for the order he just made and was walking out as he heard a sharp, high-pitched sound. 'Was that a woman?' he asked himself. Wanting to know what the noise was, he placed the food he was carrying on a picnic table and started to move slowly, making no noise that would give him away, to the other side of the WacDonalds building.

As he neared the corner of the building, he could barely make out a frightened female voice say something in Japanese. Now he really wanted to know what was going on. 'If I see what I think I'm going to see when I look around this corner, someone's gonna be in some pain.' Inuyasha thought grimly to himself. Then he readied his stance just in case there was more to the situation then he thought.

Finally being within distance to look around the corner, the first thing he saw was the glint of a knife being pressed to a delicate, long neck. The next thing, which was what made him jump into action, was the look of overwhelming fright in the young woman's eyes.

Inuyasha didn't even give the thug time to think, he moved so fast. He grabbed the guy's hair and arm holding the blade at the same time and jerked back as forcefully as he could. Luckily for Inuyasha, the man decked in all black wasn't expecting such an intrusion at the time and fell easily into the strong hero's hands. As he was dragging the trashing form of the knife welding grease ball away from the woman, he could vaguely hear passers-by start to yell for the police. After keeping the man from struggling from his steal grasp for what seemed like forever, a police officer came into view and started running toward him.

"_What in the Gods names is going on here?!" _asked the police officer. He was starting to get his cuffs out while trying to figure out who he was actually supposed to put the hand cuffs on.

"Mr. Officer, Sir, I don't speak Japanese. I'm American." Inuyasha was hoping with all the hope he could muster that the situation, in which he found himself, was not going to take an ugly turn.

"Well, in that case could you tell me in English what exactly is going on?" Thankfully for Inuyasha, this particular police officer spoke English very well.

"I'll tell you everything as soon as you take this scum bag off my hands" he replied gruffly as the man encased in his arms decided to put up a fight and start struggling once again after seeing the cop.

As soon as the sentence was out of Inuyasha's mouth the officer was in front of him putting cuffs on the greasy haired male. When he was sure the thug was going to be no more trouble, Inuyasha once again sprung into action and rushed back into the alleyway.

Seeing that the strange looking silver haired man was starting to 'run away' the police officer shouted after him. "Where are you going?!"

"The woman I pulled him off of is still in here. She passed out right after; I think you should call for an ambulance." With that Inuyasha walked the last few steps to see to the woman he had rescued. When he finally found her crumpled up on the wet ground, he could vaguely hear the officer calling in to what he presumed was the local dispatch to send an ambulance. He wasn't really sure how the Japanese police system worked, after all.

The first thing that struck Inuyasha was how small she looked. She reminded him of a small girl curled up on her bed. Moving very carefully over her, he started to scan her body for injuries. After making sure of the fact that she wasn't any worse for the wear on her small frame, he moved closer to look at her face. It was hidden in her arms at the moment. Gently, so as not to startle her awake, Inuyasha pushed her to lie on her back. His breath caught in his throat at the discovery of her face. She was the most gorgeous woman he had ever had the privilege to gaze upon in his entire life. She had a slender face and high cheek bones. The hair that flowed all around her was like a river of black silk. The skin on her face was pale and glistening with a small amount of moisture. Her eyebrows were shaped into arches above her closed eyes and her eyelashes were fluttering on her pinked, slightly freckled cheeks. The lips below her small elf-like nose were full and parted. The thought, however brief before floating out again, occurred to Inuyasha that maybe he could kiss her back into the land of consciousness.

Inuyasha shook his silver head and allowed himself a tiny smile. "Where did that come from?" he wondered out loud. Gently, he placed a hand on the back of her neck and the other went to the side of her face. He brushed a thumb across her cheek and proceeded to try and rouse her.

"Ma'am, please wake up" Inuyasha whispered to the dreadfully attractive Japanese woman in his arms. Her eyes started to flicker until finally she opened them. Inuyasha was once again shocked at the woman he looked down onto. Looking up at him were the most stunning beautiful smoky blue eyes he had ever come across. He felt his mouth slacken and forgot the fact that he was actually supposed to be making sure she was alright after her near death experience. After what seemed like a year, he finally found his voice; although it didn't even sound like his voice when he spoke.

'I hope you speak English' he thought for a brief second. "Are you alright?" Inuyasha still couldn't rip his eyes away from her glassy gaze; even as he heard the sirens of the ambulance and police car pull up. He felt as if he was in a trance.

Blinking once at the man whose slight embrace she was in, she found her own voice and responded. "I think I'm okay. Did…are you the one that pulled him off me?"

The musicality in her voice, even at a whisper, was not lost to Inuyasha's ears. "Yeah" he said. "I came up behind him and caught him off guard. Are you sure you're not hurt anywhere?" Almost instinctively, Inuyasha moved the hand on her face to stroke her long, slender neck. As he caressed her neck softly making sure there were no lacerations, he felt her hand cover his. At the contact, Inuyasha's eyes snapped up to hers.

"Thank you" she said in a small, hushed voice. Tears started to leak out of her eyes and Inuyasha brushed them away as soon as they fell.

"What's your name" he asked as he caught the tears that had to be from the stress of the last ten minutes, or so.

"My name's…" and all of a sudden, Inuyasha was dragged back by a paramedic. He was wrenched from her body and suddenly he found himself wanting to kill the man pulling him away from the woman he had been entranced with. He kept his temper in check when he realized what the reason was. Two other paramedics were huddling over the tiny woman and trying to make sure that she was, as she had said, alright. Inuyasha was trying to see what they were doing over their shoulders when the police officer he had talked to before caught his attention.

"Sir, I have a few questions if you don't mind."

"That's fine" Inuyasha said in a mildly annoyed voice.

As Inuyasha answered the seemly thousands of questions in a less than half interested way, he watched them put the mystery woman on a stretcher and into the ambulance. The questions didn't stop until the sun started to set. By then, Sango and Myoga were on the sidewalk with him. After their friend had been gone for an hour, they found their way to him to see what had happened to cause him to be so late with their lunch.

After the questions stopped and information was exchanged, the police left the three of them sitting at the picnic table eating their cold food. Inuyasha was looking at the half eaten cheeseburger with his eyebrows cast in anger.

"Lucky for the girl you were there at the right moment. And lucky for you that guy was so into what he was doing, he failed to notice you coming. I wonder what he wanted from her." Myoga's pondering was abruptly halted by Inuyasha's ill placed temper.

"How the hell should I know?!" Inuyasha jumped up from the wooden bench and thrust his trash into the bin before stalking off to the hotel.

As his two friends watched him hastily walk to the hotel, they wondered what could have gotten into him.

"What's got his knickers in a twist?" scowled Sango.

"Don't repeat this to our hot tempered friend but, I heard from one of the policemen that when the paramedics showed up, he was looking at the young woman he saved in an odd way."

"What do you mean Myoga?"

"The officer said if he didn't know any better, that our friend Inuyasha was in a world of his own while talking to her. He said that if the first officer on the scene hadn't told him that they didn't know each other, he would have thought they were lovers by the way they were gazing into each other's eyes." As the elderly man finished his story, he batted his eyes in a humorous sort of way, to his female companion.

Sango's eyes widened and looked back at where Inuyasha had just made his departure.

"Well, I guess he'll never see her again. That's probably why he's angry."

"One could only guess with that one, Sango."

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Kagome stared at the pristinely white sheet draped over her legs as she found herself lost in her own thoughts. She had told the paramedics that she felt fine and didn't want to go to the hospital, but they insisted. Now she was sitting in a cold room under observation. Much to her distain, the doctor had informed her that he wanted to keep her for a few hours to make sure she would suffer no lingering symptoms of her brush with death. As she waited for the minutes to slowly dwindle away, she found herself caught up in thoughts of her rescuer.

"Those eyes" she said to the empty room. She couldn't get them out of her head. She had never seen amber eyes before. Although she knew she had strange eyes herself, being Japanese with blue eyes, she couldn't help but feel like those eyes would stay in her mind forever. The man with the beautiful eyes also had a wonderfully handsome face to go with them. Kagome couldn't think of any other time she had been so ensnared with a man's looks. She had found men handsome before, but never had she felt like she was being drawn like a moth to a flame. The way he touched her had sent fire to her skin. It was still on fire as a matter of fact. Kagome found herself lightly touching her neck the way he had touched her hours before. It was almost like she was trying to make herself feel the way the silver haired god had made her skin feel. 'Silver hair' she mused as her eyes found the ceiling; her hand still caressing the tight skin of her throat. 'I have never seen anyone that age with silver hair. It suited him, too. And he's American.' Kagome was snapped from her thoughts when she heard a gentle knock at the door.

For a brief second, she couldn't breathe. 'Could it be him?' she speculated. With an audible gulp, she answered the person on the other side of the heavy, wooden door. She let out the breath she had been holding at the sight of Miroku coming through the door holding what could only be described as the biggest teddy bear she had ever seen.

"Where the hell did you get that?" she asked as her eyes became enormous. It seemed to Kagome, if she didn't open her eyes wide enough, she wouldn't be able to see all of the massive plushie at one time.

"I found him at the gift shop down stairs. I thought you might like it. It was calling out to me, 'buy me'!" He ended his small speech with a large grin. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You only bought it because it was the biggest, most ridiculous thing the shop had. You wanted to see my face as I walked out of this hospital carrying that huge waste of stuffing."

"Ah, you know me too well my favorite cousin."

"Miroku," Kagome let a smile slip where her scowl was moments before, "I am your only cousin. Even if you hated me with the passion of a thousand suns, I would still be your favorite cousin."

"Passion of a thousand suns? Where do you come up with that stuff?" Miroku asked, trying to avoid the earlier statement.

"Oh, never mind. Did you talk to the doctor on your way in? Can I go home?" Kagome was hoping her guesses were true so she could take a nice, long, hot bath in her own home.

"Yeah" answered Miroku. "He said he'd send a nurse in, in a couple of minutes with the discharge papers."

"Thank goodness!" Kagome sighed.

"So, what happened? The doctor wasn't exactly forthcoming with any details. All he said was that you were rescued from some man and that you fainted. You look to be fine, but are you?" Kagome could see the distress set into her only friend's features. He looked stressed.

"I'm fine and I feel fine. I'll tell you what happened when we get home. All I really want is to go home and relax in the bathtub."

"Okay, fair enough. So long as you're fine, I'll wait for an explanation until then."

"Thanks for being here for me Miro."

"Well, it can't really be helped" Miroku said with a tiny smile on his face. "I am your emergency contact. They called me while I was in the middle of a massage."

"I'm sorry Miroku. I owe you big time."

"Well, you could pay me back by hooking me up with that secretary of yours."

"Fat chance" retorted Kagome as she threw the pillow that had been propping her up at his perverted, smiling face.

Just then the nurse rapped on the door and let herself in. _"Miss Higarashi?"_

"_Yes?"_ The nurse smiled at her and handed her some paper work.

"_After you sign those you are free to leave. Do you have anyone to drive you home?"_

"_Yes"_ Kagome answered. _"May I ask why?"_

"_Well, the doctor asked me to give you something to calm your nerves. Your blood pressure is still a little high but you're in the clear. The medicine may make you a bit sleepy so I wanted to make sure that you're not going to try to drive yourself home and potentially end up back in here."_

"_My good woman" _Miroku stood and took the youthful nurse's hands into his own. _"You are so kind in looking out for my cousin's well being. Is there anything I can do to repay you?"_

"Miroku…" Kagome ground out in her most threatening voice possible. The pout that overtook his face a second later could be seen from the moon. He released the frightened nurse's hands and sat back down in the chair behind him.

The nurse tore her eyes from Miroku after she was sure he wasn't going to try a repeat performance. She looked back at Kagome and handed her a cup with two small pills rattling around inside of it and a larger cup filled with water. Kagome took both from her and swallowed the pills harshly.

The nurse took the forms from Kagome's hands and, as quickly as she could without seeming rude, told her bye and rushed out the door.

"Miroku, you can't even keep your comments to yourself long enough for one little nurse to get me to sign some papers and give me some medicine. Honestly, I'm lucky my doctor wasn't a woman or she might have refused to treat me, as you would have no doubt pawed at her ruthlessly."

"I can't help but admire beauty when I see it. I'm not a monk, or a nun like you."

"Whatever, I'm ready to get out of this dreadful place. I'm afraid my clothes will smell like disinfectant even after I wash them."

Miroku helped her up off the small hospital bed and helped her gather her things.

"And you get to carry the giant teddy bear." Kagome was laughing her fool head off as they walked through the automatic doors to leave the hospital. The sight of her cousin struggling with a pink purse and an over-sized stuffed animal was by far the funniest thing she had seen in a long while.

It was worth the embarrassment to Miroku to see her laughing with no cares in the world. What he wouldn't give to see her like that always.

---------------------------------

Inuyasha lay on his bed looking up at the ceiling. Sango was sitting at the foot of the bed with a look on her face that Inuyasha knew all too well. Her eyes were soft and there was a small, knowing smile on her face. She knew what was bothering him; she just wanted him to say it out loud. So far, he had not given in. The look, however, told him that Sango knew he was about to spill his guts if she just prodded a little further.

"Come on Inuyasha. I know when something's bothering you. You can tell me anything. I'll never judge you." There it was; the homerun statement. If he told her, then he would have to explain why he felt the way he did, which Inuyasha wasn't sure he could do; he still hadn't figured it out himself. Then again, if he didn't tell her, she would get offended and feel like he didn't trust her. 'How does she always get her way' he thought as he let out a sigh.

Sango straightened herself up. She knew what that sigh meant. He was admitting defeat in a roundabout way. They could both read each other like a book. She wanted so desperately to know what was going on in her friend's head, and she was about to find out she thought giddily to herself. Sango barely managed to keep the smile of victory off her face as Inuyasha sat up to look at her and make sure Myoga was nowhere in the vicinity to hear what he had to say. Looking down at his hands so as not to have to look her in the eye, he cleared his throat.

"I just can't stop thinking about her. She was so beautiful."

"Inuyasha, you don't even know her."

"I know, that's what's so confusing. I just can't help but want to talk to her again; to hold her again."

"Talk to her again? She could speak English?"

"Yes. I can't get her voice out of my head either. What's wrong with me Sango?"

"Nothing is wrong with you Inuyasha" Sango said in a comforting voice as she slid her hand to cover his. She could see that he was drowning in confusion. "It's getting late. Why don't you sleep on it? The whole situation happened kind of fast and you might just be having some after effects."

"Feh! I'm not so weak-willed that a little situation like that one would affect me like this. I've been in much more dire circumstances than that one and haven't had any problems. You know what my life is like. I love the rush of adrenaline I get from things like that. It's almost second nature by now. What's so different this time?"

Sango let out a sigh and moved to leave her best friend in his thoughts. She knew that he could only figure out his feelings on his own at this point. As much as she despised admitting it, she couldn't help him through this. She shut off the lights and whispered into the darkness her last advice on the state of affairs Inuyasha had found himself in before she shut the door to his room.

"Maybe you found your soul mate Inuyasha. I believe love-at-first-sight exists. The question is, do you?"

"Feh!" Inuyasha said to the closed door. Before he drifted off to sleep he remembered something his mother said to him before she died.

'…the first time I saw your father, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was the one I was destined to be with.'

That night, Inuyasha dreamed of being young. He dreamed of his mother and father and the love on their faces as they looked at each other. Then he dreamed of the blue-eyed, Japanese woman that had burrowed so effectively into his mind and heart.

--------------------------------

Miles away a twenty something woman was having her own problem in sorting out the feelings in her head. Kagome was soaking in her bathtub as she had promised herself. She could feel the muscles in her body slowly relaxing. Sitting in a stiff hospital bed for hours did nothing for one's back. As she sat back in the full tub, Miroku knocked at the door.

"Are you in the tub?"

"Yeah, you can come in." The tub in her bathroom was hidden by a partition wall. Miroku could sit on the toilet and talk to her, and Kagome could soak after a long day, and still feel like she had some privacy. The two had always felt comfortable sharing this sort of closeness. Some would call them strange but they were okay with their relationship. And as perverted as Miroku was, he was nowhere near that kind of sick and twisted.

Right on cue, Miroku strolled in and shut the door behind himself. Kagome heard him sit on the toilet like he always did. As she almost floated in the very hot water, she would swear she could hear the crazy wheels in her only friend's head slowly turn. Kagome braced herself for what she knew would be a very extensive session of Q and A.

"So, now will you tell me what really happened?" 'And so it begins' thought Kagome with an exaggerated roll of the eyes.

"Well, after I hung up with you, a man picked me up and pushed me into the wall in the alleyway next to the WacDonalds. He held a knife to my throat." Kagome could sense the air around her becoming filled with rage. Before he could even say anything about retaliation, she continued.

"Calm down Miro, I'm fine. Anyway, he didn't even have me pined for more than a few seconds before this other guy grabbed him off me. I don't know what exactly happened next because I fainted."

Miroku sighed and asked his next question. "Is the guy in jail?"

"From what they told me, yes."

"What about the guy that saved you? Do you know his name? I would really like to shake his hand and thank him."

Kagome felt the man's touch all over again. She let her head roll back as she savored the soft movement she knew wasn't really there. It must have been longer than she thought when she came back to reality, because was calling her name and asking if she was alright.

"I've fine. I was just thinking, and no, I don't know his name. All I know is what he looks like and that he's American."

"Wow! An American coming to the rescue; who would have thought?" Miroku mused aloud. "What did he look like?"

"Like the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Kagome realized she had said that part out loud when she heard a very startling laugh coming from the other side of the wall. She let out an annoyed groan. "Stop laughing at me!"

The laughter died down as Miroku composed himself. "What did he look like besides beautiful?" he asked with obvious amusement in his voice.

Kagome let out a sigh. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Okay, but no laughing."

"I swear I'll try."

"Good enough. He had tanned sort of skin and believe it or not silver hair and gold eyes."

"Silver hair? How old was this knight in shining armor?"

"Your age probably. After I passed out he must have come back to check on me before the paramedics got there. I opened my eyes and there he was, looking for all the world like he was the most concerned he had ever been in his entire life. I couldn't help myself; he was so sweet and handsome, I sort of starting crying." The last part came out as barely audible. Miroku wasn't sure he had heard her right. 'Surely not' he thought.

"Crying?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not really sure how to respond to that Kagome."

Kagome splashed the water she was lounging in and furrowed her brows. "I figured you would say something like that. The fact is I don't really know what to say either."

"Kagome, if I didn't know any better, I would say you're in love with a guy that you don't even know." A long silence passed between them. As the silence drew on, it finally hit him.

"Kagome, are you in love with him?" He made sure to ask in a non-threatening way so she wouldn't shy away from the question and get angry.

"I don't know" she whispered.

"Well" Miroku said scratching his head, "it wouldn't be the worst thing for you to fall in love; even if you don't even know the guy's name."

"Yes it would."

"You have played this game for far too long." Kagome knew the big brother voice when she heard it.

"What game would that be Miroku?" She was starting to get angry at where the conversation was headed.

"You can't live your entire life alone, Kagome. I care about you far too much to let you do that to yourself. I know you don't like letting people get close but it has to end sometime. If I have to search this entire city to find this hero of yours I will. This has to stop."

"Stuff it Miroku! I don't need your advice and I don't need your pity. I never asked you for anything but to keep your mouth closed on certain subjects. Leave it alone."

Miroku sensed that he had been dismissed from her presence. He got up off his makeshift seat and let himself out. As he closed the door behind himself he left her with words that tore her heart out.

"I can't watch you kill yourself like this forever. Do you really think your mother, father, brother or even Gramps would want you to live your life like this? One day I won't be here and you really will be all alone. You need to ask yourself what it is you really want out of life."

After she heard the door pulled shut, she let out so many tears she felt it a miracle the tub didn't over flow.

"It's not what I want" she said to the empty walls of her bathroom.

-------------------------------

Well, there it is. Let me know if you enjoyed it. I would love to hear what you think, good or bad. As always, if you find a mistake, please feel free to tell me.

Inu Kagome 4Life: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. If I have anything to say about it, the entire cast will get into loads of trouble. What good is writing a story if I can't spin a little drama? Thanks for the review.

AN: I wanted to explain why Inuyasha seemed so out of character in the scene with Sango and him in the hotel room. Inuyasha and Sango are best friends. Things he would never say in front of other people, he'll say to her. He knows that she would never laugh at him and anything they say behind closed doors with be kept between the two of them. This relationship will come up again with Sango in Inuyasha's position in the future.


	4. Chapter 3

Here's another one folks. By the way, yes I'm a Southerner. For the future, I'm sorry if I accidentally throw in a few ya'll's and you'ens (ya'll plus three). I hope you enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and company nor do I own Bond, James Bond.

Chapter 3:

The Clue and the Plan

Inuyasha lazily reached over and turned off the alarm clock. The shrill beeping noise stopped and he slung the cover off of himself. Planting two wobbly legs as firmly as possible, he stood and made his way to the bathroom.

He hadn't slept very well. No, that was an understatement. He hadn't really slept at all. He fell asleep once and woke with a start only an hour or so later. He could remember the dream he had very vividly. It was about his mother and father and, of course, about her.

Inuyasha turned the water on and adjusted the temperature of the nozzle in the middle of the tiled wall, so that the water was lukewarm. He never did understand how some people would want to turn themselves into human lobsters when they bathed. He then disrobed and stepped under the swift jets of water. He stood there, letting the water run down his muscular body as if trying to wash away the dream he'd had and the weariness of a night of almost no sleep. Inuyasha finally started his actual cleaning routine and within twenty minutes or so, he stepped out of the bathroom with damp hair clinging to his face and fresh clothes on his back.

Still in a slight haze from the events of the previous day, he made his way into the living area and saw Myoga sitting on one of the couches speaking in hushed tones to Sango. She was huddled very close to him. Inuyasha scoffed and the two immediately jumped apart and shifted their eyes to meet his. When the silence became too much, Myoga broke it.

"Well, why don't we get some breakfast? It's nearly 8:00 and we're supposed to be at the law firm at 9:00."

Without a word, Inuyasha grabbed his coat and started towards the door. The other two quickly got the idea and rushed to catch up with their surly friend. They finally caught up with him at the elevator. Still not comfortable with the silence, Myoga took the more dangerous route and chose to shatter it once more.

"Would you like to talk about it, my friend?"

"Talk about what?" Inuyasha said, in a more aggravated than necessary tone.

"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, I suggest you stop with the sour mood. Today should be a very happy day for you, or have you forgotten?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten," Inuyasha replied in defeat. He begrudgingly knew that Myoga was right, although he would never admit it. Taking a deep breath and then letting it out slowly, he turned to look at his companions.

"I'm fine. I'll try to be a little less aggravated with the two of you. The reason I'm in this fucked up mood is not either of your faults."

"It's okay, Inuyasha," Sango breathed. "Myoga and I understand you better than anyone. If we can't put up with your mood fluctuations, no one can." The three of them, somehow feeling better, shared a small laugh as they walked out of the elevator and towards the restaurant inside the hotel to get breakfast.

Inuyasha was still in a semi-foul mood, but after what Sango said he felt better. All he really needed to know was that he had friends that would be there for him. Even if he would never again see the mystery girl that haunted his dreams and thoughts, Sango and Myoga would understand and be there to talk to if he needed it. That was all he could hope for at this point.

Hope…

----------------------------

Kagome and Miroku had a long talk that morning. So long a talk that they actually missed breakfast and Kagome was running late. Kagome was in her bedroom getting dressed as fast as her arms and legs would move.

Miroku yelled down the hall to her. "Don't worry about it so much Kagome. I've endured much worse things coming from that mouth of yours. I would like to apologize again for what I said though. I won't bring it up again. All I want to say in my defense is that it's hard sometimes for me to watch you damage your already damaged self by ignoring love. There's someone out there for you, waiting. I'm afraid that when that day comes you'll close yourself up and run away from it."

Kagome sighed as she came out of her room dressed and ready to go out the door. "Miroku, I need to think some things through. You're right about some things and I just can't pretend anymore that I don't want someone to love and eventually a family. Look, I have to leave now if I'm going to be on time." Kagome hugged her cousin and then smiled at him while still holding his upper arms in her hands. "What time is your first appointment?" she asked him.

"I don't have one until noon, why?"

"Why don't you get us some breakfast and come to the office?"

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit."

"Just come on in when you get there. I have that will reading at 9:00 and it should be over when you get there. Bye!" Kagome rushed out the door and hopped into her car while simultaneously starting the engine. As she wove in and out of traffic in hopes of making it on time, she started thinking about her rescuer again. She wondered where he was at the moment and if she would ever see him again. She also began to speculate about whether she'd had the same effect on him as he did on her.

"Not likely," she scoffed to herself. 'Why would he have a second thought about me? I'm just a short lawyer that gets into trouble over the stupidest things.' Her thoughts turned darker by the second. They only stopped when she noticed that she was finally at work, and right on time.

Kagome got out of the modestly sized, two-door car and pulled her briefcase with her. She walked the few steps to the dreaded elevators and very unwillingly got on board. With her mantra in mind, she pushed the button marked twenty-three and the doors slid into place making Kagome cringe. When the doors opened and released once more, she trotted the thirty or so paces to her office and let herself in. Yura was there to greet her.

"Miss Higarashi, here are your messages and faxes. Your two o'clock was moved to two-thirty and your first appointment will be at nine."

"Thanks, Yura," Kagome muttered as she grabbed whatever papers were in her secretary's hand and proceeded to her desk on the other side of the frosted glass door behind Yura. "Miroku will be showing up most likely as my first clients are leaving. Let him come on in when he gets here," and as an afterthought she added, "And no flirting!"

Kagome sat down at her desk with the pile of papers Yura had handed her. Looking at the clock on her desk, she saw that the time was 8:45. She decided to return a few calls while waiting on her 9:00 to show up. Picking up the phone she called the first of many people who had called her after her early departure on Friday.

Almost exactly fifteen minutes later, Yura's voice sounded through her intercom.

"Miss Higarashi? Your 9:00 has arrived."

"Send them in," she said as she waited for the secretary on the other end of the phone to answer. Her clients could wait while she left a simple message.

She was looking down at the few papers with messages left on them when she heard the door open and a few pairs of feet enter the room. She didn't look up, even when she noticed that after a few seconds, those that had entered the room still hadn't sat down in the chairs in front of the desk. 'What are they waiting for, an invitation?' she asked herself. Only when she heard a female voice sounding slightly fearful did she look up from the immense desk she was seated at.

"Inuyasha?" Sango questioned. Inuyasha looked like he had seen a ghost. His face was pasty white and his eyes looked as if someone had slapped him in the back of the head. His mouth was wide and his overall look could only be described as disbelief.

Sango tried again to get her friend's attention. He was starting to frighten her a little bit. "Inuyasha, are you okay?"

Still not getting a reaction, Sango looked at Myoga for help and noticed he was looking at something else. Moving her eyes to find out what it was that was more important then their friend, she found it.

There, sitting behind a desk that was entirely too big for her, was a woman with an expression identical to Inuyasha. "Blue eyes," Sango murmured. "Inuyasha, is this her?" Sango asked in a very small voice.

"I'm her," a voice answered before Inuyasha even registered that someone had asked a question. Sango's head whipped around to face the woman that had ensnared her best friend's world.

She looked a little more composed than the few seconds before, but still looked like she might faint at any moment. If only Sango could see the thoughts that were flying through Kagome's head at that very moment.

'Oh my God!' Kagome screamed inside her own head. 'Just breathe girl. You can do this. He's only the HOTTEST guy you've ever seen. It's going to be fine. Just thank him again and do your job. You can do that. You're good at your job. Just get control of yourself.' It was kind of hard to gather her composure with that god standing in her office. He looked even better now that she could get a good look at him. The silver hair atop his head was flowing down his back. He was wearing black dress slacks and an untucked, red button up shirt with the first two buttons undone.

Inuyasha's thoughts were just as cluttered. 'I found her. Here she is. She looks even more beautiful. Don't get too excited! Just calm down. Ask if she's okay. That's good enough to break the ice. You can do it. Just say something. I can't stand here all day with my mouth open! Do something!' Inuyasha could get a good look at her now too. Kagome, that was her name, had her hair pulled up half way and let the rest pour over her shoulders. Those damned blue eyes were sucking him in again. The white, low-cut shirt clung to her curves in the most delicious way imaginable.

Of course, they spoke at once; Kagome thanking him and Inuyasha asking if she was okay. Both of them shut there mouths and stared a few more seconds before Inuyasha found the courage to speak again.

"Are you okay?"

Kagome cleared her throat and smiled. "Yes I'm fine thanks to you. I want to thank you again. If you weren't there, who knows what would have happened?"

"So, you're the girl from WacDonald's the other day." Myoga was enjoying himself. He had never seen Inuyasha so flustered. For that matter, the girl in front of him seemed to be struggling herself.

"Mrs. Higarashi, did we interrupt a phone call?"

"No," Kagome breathed. She hung the phone up without looking; completely forgetting that she was supposed to be leaving a message. "And it's Miss."

"Oh?" Myoga enjoyed the way Inuyasha's face seemed to lose its distressed appearance at hearing that little gem of information.

"The police didn't call me after yesterday. I was wondering if you knew if they had that idiot locked up." Inuyasha was very proud of himself for controlling his voice.

"Yes, they did. They came and saw me while I was in the hospital."

Sango saw fit to find a seat, hoping that the men would copy her actions. They did eventually, even though Inuyasha was very hesitant. "Can I ask what he wanted? The police we talked to wouldn't say anything." Sango was hoping that she wasn't overstepping her bounds by asking, but something kept nagging at her to ask.

Kagome's eyes got wide. "Um, actually, he wanted to know about the clue in Mrs. Sato's will."

The movement in Inuyasha's brow demonstrated his anger. How did anyone else know about it? Then, in a few seconds, it all snapped into place. He stood up and removed his cell phone from his black slacks and sat back down, angrily flipping the phone open.

"Did I do something wrong?" Kagome asked with a curious and cautious expression.

"No, but my asshole brother did."

Kagome sat there looking bewildered. Sango saw the expression on her face and decided to explain.

"Inuyasha has a brother,"

"Half-brother," interrupted Inuyasha.

"Half-brother," Sango continued as she sent a glare his way, "named Sesshoumaru. The sword that we're looking for has a brother sword. The brother sword is in Sesshoumaru's possession at the moment. When we left for the airport the other morning, Inuyasha called Sessh to tell him that we may have found the other sword but all he kept saying was to 'watch our backs' and 'be careful'. Now we know why. Someone must have found out about the contents of Mrs. Sato's will. The sword is a very important historical article and worth a large fortune." Sango's explanation was cut short by a raging voice and by Inuyasha jumping up from his chair.

"Sesshoumaru! How the hell did you know that someone found out about the sword? And why didn't you tell me! I could have used this information a while ago. Someone could have been seriously injured."

A short pause. Everyone was looking at Inuyasha now, wondering what was being said on the other end of the line.

"No, the three of us are fine but someone attacked the lawyer in charge of the will!"

Inuyasha's expression grew hysterical as he listened to the unheard voice on the other end of the phone.

"I will not calm down until you tell me what you know! Do it now Sessh or so help me, God…" Inuyasha was trying to keep his temper in check, mostly because of the extremely beautiful woman looking at him in shock.

Another long pause followed and Inuyasha told Sesshoumaru in a very hushed voice that he would call him later and hung up the phone. He sat back down in the chair he had occupied earlier and greeted Kagome with a small smile.

"I'm sorry about my behavior. I can't stand when he does that though. He likes to withhold information just to amuse himself at my expense."

Kagome immediately saw red. She very calmly, too calmly, asked Inuyasha a question.

"He risked my life just to have a little entertainment? Is he insane?!" she hissed. She looked Inuyasha straight in the eyes. For the first time since he walked into her office, she didn't feel nervous. She was livid.

"Uh…" Inuyasha floundered helplessly. He looked at her red face and her scorching eyes and all he could think of was how beautiful she was even when she was angry. He found his voice and tried to explain.

"He didn't intentionally put you in danger. No matter how cruel he is he would never do that. He never thought they would come after you. Now that I think about it, it makes sense. I mean, why go after one of us, who could easily fend off that kind of attack, when they could go after a defenseless lawyer?"

Kagome sat ridged in her seat and glared at Inuyasha. She was hoping that her anger would be later conveyed to this Sesshoumaru person by Inuyasha.

Sango decided to speak up, seeing that the two parties had called a truce, of sorts. "What did Sesshoumaru say when you asked him what he knew?"

Inuyasha looked at the desk in front of him as he spoke. "He said that a guy called him last week and asked about Tenseiga. The guy was wondering how much it was worth, and all that. Then he asked what Tetsusaiga would be worth when it was found. What struck Sesshoumaru as odd was the way the guy had said it. He asked Sessh 'when it was found' not 'if'. Then I called a week later to tell him about the will, and he put two and two together." Inuyasha looked at Kagome again. "He wanted me to tell you that he really is sorry that he put you in such a dangerous situation. He said to tell you that we'll do anything you ask to make up for it."

It only took Kagome half of a second to figure out what she wanted. "Hospital bills."

"Done." Inuyasha said with less hesitation than Kagome. "Just give me the name of the hospital and your full name and it'll be done by the end of the day."

Kagome found a note pad and wrote the information on it. Inuyasha accepted it from her and put it in his pocket.

"Well, now that that's settled…" Myoga was anxious to get on with the will.

"Yes," responded Kagome as she carefully pulled out a stack of papers from a filing cabinet directly behind her. Spinning back around in her chair, she placed the papers on the table and thumbed through them.

"First things first. I need you to sign this form. It basically says that you are the one I'm reading the will to and not some other someone."

Myoga grabbed the pen and signed quickly.

"Okay, then this one. This is the form that you need with you when you pick up the antiques and such from the storage building. Sign right here stating that you received the form, please. Also, Mrs. Sato requested that her house and all her land be sold to the highest bidder. I need the museum's bank account number so I can put that money directly into the account once the auction is complete."

Myoga scribbled the requested information on a sheet of paper Kagome provided and handed it back to her.

"With all that out of the way, we get to the good stuff."

"Thank God!" Inuyasha was tired of waiting. Even though Kagome was the one doing the talking in that wonderful voice that made it much easier to wait, he was very ready to finally have a lead on the sword he had pined for, for so many years.

"Inuyasha, I told you to stop being such a drama queen," Sango muttered, looking at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Shut up you brat!" Inuyasha muttered back. He turned to face her and she reciprocated. A silent war began in their stares. Myoga rolled his eyes and looked at Kagome apologetically.

"They really are good friends. Sometimes it doesn't show."

"I thought you were together! Your just friends?" Kagome cursed herself mentally at how hopeful she sounded.

"God no, we're not together!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome's eyes grew wide and then they shifted to look back at her desk.

"Goodness, Inuyasha. You make me sound like the plague." Sango turned and looked at Kagome. "I'm sorry. We normally don't fight this much. When we have to spend this much time together, it's hard to control our tempers. Myoga sometimes tells people that we're like fire on fire."

"That's okay. My cousin and I are the same way," Kagome said as she chuckled at Inuyasha and Sango. "So, would you like to hear what Mrs. Sato had to say?"

All three of them nodded their heads vigorously and directed all their attention to her words.

"Okay. All it says is 'Seek the maker'."

Kagome looked up to see some strange looks floating her way. Myoga looked deep in thought, Sango looked disappointed and Inuyasha just looked very, very angry.

"What the fuck is that! We fly halfway across the world for that. What the hell was that old woman thinking?" Inuyasha'd had enough. He was tired and cranky. He just wanted to know where the sword was so he could go get it and finally end the decade long search. Now they were off to God knows were to 'seek the maker'. The day had gone from bad, to better, to much worse in the span of a few minutes.

"Inuyasha, calm yourself or you'll have Miss Higarashi running from the room, screaming. We knew it would only be a clue. I just didn't really expect a riddle."

"This isn't a riddle, this is nothing. The maker of the sword has been dead for over four-hundred years. There's no possible way we can talk to him unless you've found someway to bring people back to life." Inuyasha was still fuming but he did realize the truth in Myoga's words. He really needed to tone it down a little in front of Kagome. He didn't want to scare her off with his foul mouth and bad temper. 'Ah well, better she sees now what I am. I wouldn't want her to be surprised later. If there is a later.'

Kagome was kind of hoping that the three of them would stay in her office. She had a few more clients to deal with later, but they could wait. She just wanted to look at Inuyasha a little longer. He had the whole bad boy thing going for him but she also knew he had a much softer side that he let out when he thought no one was looking. 'Please let it take them a few more minutes to figure this out' she pleaded with who ever would listen.

"What about a descendant, Inuyasha? Do you know if the sword maker had heirs?"

"Sesshoumaru would know more about that than I would. Do you want me to call him?"

"No, we know the original sword maker's name. Someone that ingrained in history has to have a family tree on file somewhere," Sango said as she pulled her laptop out of her bag and placed it on her lap. Then she stopped, as a thought struck her. Looking up at Kagome, she realized that they were probably taking up time that was meant for someone else. "I'm so sorry. You probably have more clients waiting."

"That's okay. I really don't have anyone else for quite a while. I'm kind of curious myself. Please, be my guest."

Sango smiled. She liked this Kagome person already. It was easy to see now why Inuyasha had been so taken with her. She was very pretty, and had an aura about her that screamed nice and charming. Sango booted up the laptop and clicked on the internet. While she was searching, Inuyasha's phone rang. He stood up and went to the corner of the room to answer it.

"Inuyasha Tanaka."

"Are you still angry, little brother, or have you calmed yourself."

"Sesshoumaru, I don't have time for this right now. I told you that I'd call later."

"Yes, I know. I was just wondering if you knew what you had gotten yourself into."

"What's that supposed to mean?! If you know something else, tell me." Inuyasha was getting very tired of the conversation. He was praying that Sesshoumaru would spit it out and choke on it at the same time. My, that was a wonderful thought.

"I know who it was that called me last week. His name is Naraku. He's well known in regards to the black market. I'm still not sure how he found out about the will, but rest assured, you haven't seen the last of him. The man that attacked Miss Higarashi was one of his henchmen. There are many more where he came from I'm afraid. I'm not so much worried about you and the others as much as I'm worried about the lawyer. She's not safe there anymore. You may need to take her with you."

'No arguments there' thought Inuyasha. He couldn't believe how perfect this had turned out. Not only was he on the trail of the 'Tetsusaiga', he was also going to be able to have an excuse to be around Kagome constantly.

"All right, I'll tell her. By the way, we're paying for her hospital bills and her expenses while she's with me."

"Acceptable."

The two brothers hung up without so much as a good-bye. Inuyasha made his way back to the comfortable leather chair. Sango was talking about China.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"There's a descendant that lives in Tiangin, along the Ziya He."

"In English please Sango." Sango rolled her eyes at her dense friend.

"Tiangin is a city in China not too far off the coast of the Yellow Sea. Ziya He is a river."

"Okay. What's that got to do with us? He's not the sword maker."

"He may know something." Kagome's input startled the three out of there musings.

"What do you mean Miss Higarashi?" Myoga asked.

"Mrs. Sato did travel to China right before she made the final version of her will. She may have asked him about the sword while she was there. He might be the one who has it, or knows where it is."

"It makes sense Inuyasha. Also, he's a sword maker himself. We should defiantly check this out." Sango was excited again. She had never been to China. This was shaping up to be a great trip.

"Well, if we're going to China I need to call the airlines and book a flight for four."

"Four? There are only three of us." Myoga was starting to wonder about Inuyasha's mental grasp on things. Either he had an imaginary friend or he couldn't count. Neither one of those options sounded good for the young man.

"Yeah, four. She can't stay here anymore. She needs to come with us. Sesshoumaru said that they'll come after her again. I'm not going to have that on my conscience."

Kagome was shocked. This man just assumed that he didn't even need to ask if she wanted to go. He was making it sound as if some boogie man was going to kill her in her sleep. On top of that, he was talking about her as if she wasn't even in the room. How dare he?! Even if he was the most perfectly made human being on earth, that didn't mean that she had no say in what went on.

"Excuse me, but I'm not going anywhere."

"Excuse me, but you are. You can't stay here. You're not safe. These people will come after you with everything they have once we're out of the way. As soon as we get on that plane, it will be all over for you. These people are dangerous. They won't care that you're a woman."

"All the same, I'm not going." Kagome stood up, crossed her arms over her chest and glared down her nose at Inuyasha. Where the hell did he get the nerve to tell her what she was and wasn't doing?

Inuyasha glared back. "What the hell is wrong with you? Can I ask what is so important that you would stay here and risk your life for it?"

"For one, I'm not leaving my practice. And two, you didn't even ask me if I wanted you to protect me. It's not your place to nose me around like some guard dog."

"Is this practice worth more to you than your own life?! I'm trying to do the right thing here and you're just being stubborn because I didn't ask you if you wanted to be safe from another one of those attacks. I guess I just assumed you wanted to NOT die!"

In the middle of Kagome and Inuyasha's shouts and Sango and Myoga's pleas for the two of them to calm down, Miroku staggered in with an arm full of food and a very confused look on his face.

"Am I interrupting something Kagome?"

"No you're not. These people were just leaving," Kagome said very venomously as she threw a dirty look at Inuyasha.

"We're not leaving here until you're willing to come with us!" Inuyasha was getting very tired of this 'play nice' game. If it came to it, he'd drag the pig-headed bitch all the way to China.

"May I ask what the problem is?" It didn't look as if either Kagome or Inuyasha were going to interrupt their staring contest to reply, so Myoga answered for them.

"Good to meet you. My name is Myoga Suzuki. If you're a friend of Kagome's then you'll know of the incident yesterday."

That got Miroku attention. "I'm her cousin and roommate. How do you three know about what happened yesterday?"

"Our Inuyasha here is the one that saved her."

"Is he now?!" Miroku moved quickly to put the bags in his hands down and rushed over to Inuyasha. He nudged his way between Inuyasha and the desk he was leaning on and grabbed his hand.

"I'm so happy I got to meet you. I wanted to thank you in person but I didn't really think I would get to. Thank you so much for saving my cousin. She's very lucky that you were there."

Inuyasha looked at the man in front of him and felt a blush spread across his cheeks under the heavy praise. "It was nothing, really," he muttered under his breath while trying to get Miroku to release his hand.

After Miroku finally got the hint and gave up his hold on his new best friend's hand, he turned to speak to Kagome.

"I thought I heard shouting?" Miroku was confused. If this was Kagome's rescuer, why would there be angry shouting.

"You did," Kagome replied in a heated voice. "This over grown bloodhound, guard dog wants to drag me to China for God knows how long."

Miroku looked at Kagome and then at Inuyasha seeing that they had identical scowls on there faces. If the situation didn't look so serious, Miroku would have laughed. Instead, he asked, "Why?"

Inuyasha took the chance to explain the situation before Kagome could throw anymore insults his way. He was losing his patience; and if he did, it wouldn't be pretty. "She's still in danger of that happening again. The guy that attacked her may be behind bars, but there are more than a few that will come after her again."

"Why would a bunch of thugs want Kagome?"

"There's someone else looking for the same artifact we're looking for," replied Myoga. "Kagome is in danger because she knows a vital clue to its whereabouts. The cops here won't be able to protect her and I doubt she would want to hire a personal body guard. The only way to keep her safe is to come with us. Inuyasha will keep an eye on her while we search for the sword. Once it's found, she can go back to her normal life."

Miroku was dumbfounded. What had his little good girl cousin gotten herself into? He was starting to get worried about her safety himself. It would probably be a good idea for her to go. This Inuyasha guy had already saved her once and now he was offering to keep her safe. The other reason she should go dawned on him a little more slowly. If Kagome went with Inuyasha, she could possibly get over this fear of getting too close to men, or anyone for that matter. She would have to stay close to him for at least a few days. This could be even better than he thought.

"Kagome, I think you should go."

"What!!!" she screeched at him. She couldn't believe it. Now her own flesh and blood was falling for these James Bond wannabes. What was wrong with the world today? Didn't anyone else but her see how insane this was?

"I want you to go with them if it will keep you safe. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. I'm not much of a fighter or I'd be your new shadow until this is over. As it is I'm more of a lover than a fighter." At the last statement, Miroku scanned the form of the other female in the room.

"Miroku! I'm not going and, STOP FLIRTING!"

Sango blushed and looked away. Miroku at least had the decency to 'look' guilty.

Miroku had a thought. Maybe she would agree if she had someone on her side going with her. That was why she wasn't going. He knew it had nothing to do with being so far from home or leaving her practice behind.

"Would you go if I went, too? I mean, if that's alright with the others."

Kagome thought about it. She knew from the first minutes of the fight that Inuyasha wouldn't give up. She could see in his eyes that he felt an obligation to her. But what terrified her was the way he looked as if he really did want her to go. She was afraid if she was this close to him for an extended amount of time that she'd fling herself desperately at him. But, if Miroku would go, then she would have someone to distract herself with. That could work. Hmmm…

Inuyasha thought about it as well. He really wanted her to go. If she would give up and agree to go if this cousin of hers went with them too, he would have to give in to the compromise. He couldn't let her get herself killed. With less enthusiasm, he admitted to himself that he really wanted her to go for other reasons as well.

"If it's alright with Sango and Myoga, it's alright with me."

"It's okay with me," Sango stated. Hopefully Kagome would give in. Sango liked her and it would be fun to have a girl along for a change. Not to mention Kagome's cousin was very attractive.

"Fine with me," Myoga chimed in with a grin.

Everyone glanced toward Kagome. She was growing nervous with the pressure. "What about money? I can't pay for myself and Miroku to be gone for an undetermined amount of time."

"Don't worry about that. My brother still has things to make up for when it comes to you. He'll pay all the expenses. I'll make sure of it."

"We can't accept that kind of offer. That's a lot of money for a stranger. He's already going to pay for my hospital bills."

"I said don't worry about it. He was the one who told me to take you with me. He feels badly for putting you in danger. Let us do this as a way to make up for that. And certainly don't worry about putting a financial strain on us. My brother is made of money. He couldn't spend it all even if he tried really, really hard."

Kagome sighed and hung her head. This was getting to be too much. She really didn't have an option.

"Am I really in that much danger?" she asked in a weak voice.

Inuyasha walked around the desk and grabbed her hands. The two of them felt the shock of the touch instantaneously. Inuyasha and Kagome found each other's eyes and held them there for a moment.

"I know this all sounds like some kind of conspiracy theory but trust me when I say that this is no game. This guy's name is Naraku and apparently he is some black market big wig. This sword is worth more than you can possibly imagine. Sesshoumaru said he is very dangerous and that yesterday is only a drop in the hat. It's not just you that's in danger, it's all of us. I not worried about the rest of us. I am worried about you, though. You have no way to protect yourself and if you go to the police, they'll turn you away and laugh when you're out the door. Please, come with me."

Kagome was staring at him like a deer in the headlights. 'He said 'come with me'. He didn't say 'us', he said 'me', Kagome thought. It seemed that Inuyasha was the only one who hadn't caught his little Freudian slip. The other three in the room looked at each other in a knowing way.

"Okay, I'll go," she whispered.

Inuyasha let out the breath he was holding and smiled. "Thank you," he said a little too excitedly.

"Well, when do we leave?" asked a now smiling Miroku.

"As soon as possible. Sango, you book the flight on the internet. I'll call Sessh and let him know where we're going and who's coming with us. Myoga, call a hotel near the sword maker and book us three rooms. You two are with me," Inuyasha said as he pointed at the new members of the party. "We're going to your house to pack some things. I'll follow the both of you there and you'll leave your cars and ride back to our hotel with me."

The five of them jumped into action at their 'leader's' command. Strangely, no one seemed to mind being told what to do by Inuyasha. It almost seemed natural. Sango and Myoga left the room and shortly after Kagome, Inuyasha and Miroku left the office. Kagome stopped at Yura's desk to tell her to cancel all of her appointments and reschedule all of her court dates on the grounds of a family emergency.

As the three of them got into the elevator, Inuyasha noticed that Kagome had her head down and her eyes closed. He looked at Miroku in puzzlement.

"She's afraid of elevators. She got stuck in one as a child and has never gotten over it." 'Never gotten over a lot of things from childhood,' Miroku mentally added.

"Feh! You're afraid of an elevator, but not of blood thirsty lackeys that will torture, rape and kill you. Something's wrong in that head of yours."

Kagome ignored him and kept her head down. Inuyasha felt himself staring at her and all of a sudden had the desire to whisper reassurances in her ear. He knew he couldn't without giving away how much he really wanted her or how much he cared about her. He bit his lip to the point of drawing blood and looked anywhere but at Kagome. 'This is going to be fun,' he thought to himself sarcastically. 'I have to fight the urge to scoop her up and stop the elevator now. What will I do if she's in real danger?' This trip was going to be long and tiring. He could already tell.

"What have I gotten myself into," he whispered to no one.

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I didn't really like this chapter at first. I felt like it was moving a little too fast. But, I'll let you be the judge. I needed to get the ball rolling on the plot and this was the best way to do it. I hope you like it let me know.

Reviews:

Punkrock grl92: I'm glad you like my style of writing. I really didn't notice it was anything special, but if you like I'll continue to let you praise me. Just kidding. Thank you very much. I'm glad you like it so far.

Inu Kagome 4Life: OMG!!! My very own number one fan! I'm so excited that I can hardly contain myself; no kidding! My boyfriend laughed at me when I told him. He said that I was getting myself worked up over something silly. I told him that he would never understand the special bond of an author and her number one fan. LOL! I hope this chapter answered that 'who attacked Kagome' question. To answer the other question I had to think a while. I guess if I had to put an age on them they would be…

Inuyasha: 26

Kagome: 25

Myoga: 60 something

Miroku: 29

Sango: 26

I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

As always please review.


	5. Chapter 4

I had a hard time writing this one. There's so much I want to do with this story but it's hard actually getting there. Well, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 4:

Break Ins and Sleeping Arrangments

Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku stepped into the parking lot underneath the huge building where Kagome's practice was located. Miroku had driven his own car there so he had to drive it back. Kagome had also driven herself. When the three of them got near the parking deck, Inuyasha realized that Myoga and Sango had taken the rental car they shared which left him riding with either Kagome or Miroku. Inuyasha had just decided that he needed to ride with Kagome for 'protection reasons', when Miroku opened his all-knowing mouth.

"Inuyasha, why don't you ride with me? My car is much cleaner than Kagome's. I'd be surprised if you could actually find a place to sit in there."

"Thanks oh favorite cousin of mine. You sure do show your love for me, don't you?" Kagome grumbled sarcastically.

Inuyasha also grumbled something to himself that sounded like 'meddling asshole' as he followed behind Miroku to the car he was headed towards. The two men piled in and pulled out behind Kagome. The first five minutes of the ride was quiet. Miroku wanted to break the tension he could almost physically feel coming off Inuyasha in waves.

"By the way, I wanted to know if you were Japanese yourself. I know your last name is, but you look Caucasian enough."

"My father's side of the family is Japanese from way back. The name just carried on this far. I'm like, one sixteenth Japanese."

"Oh…what about the others; the old man and that wonderfully gorgeous woman?" By the time Miroku had gotten to the last of his question, he sported a very wide, very perverted grin.

"Well, Myoga's family and my family have been friends for generations. I'm guessing it started in Japan because of Myoga family name. I met Sango in college. I know she doesn't look it, but her grandfather is Japanese. Our last names being what they are is how we became friends in the first place. We felt like fate had meant us to be together. Silly, huh?"

Miroku's mood darkened. 'Poor Kagome' he thought. "How long have you and Sango been together?"

Inuyasha misunderstood what Miroku was really asking. He was starting to relax around this stranger and thought to himself before he answered that he might not be such a bad guy to have around. "Let's see…I've known her for six years, or something like that."

"Wow, planning on getting married anytime soon?"

Inuyasha burst out laughing. Miroku just looked him with the most concerned/weirded out expression he could possibly muster up.

When the full blown laughs had turned into slight giggles, Inuyasha wiped a tear from his eye and addressed the man whom he'd forgotten wasn't in Kagome's office for that discussion.

"Me and Sango are not together like that," Inuyasha exclaimed through a large smile. "We're just very good friends. I feel like she's the sister I never had and she feels like I'm the older sibling she never had. I mean, she has a brother, as do I, but we never felt close to our real siblings. Sango and I love each other as family. Oh, and I noticed you checking her out at the office."

Miroku gulped. Why did he get the feeling that Inuyasha was going to give him an ear full for his behavior? "Um…I'm sorry if I over stepped a line."

"Don't be stupid. She can take care of herself. I don't care what you do with her. I just wanted to warn you, is all. Sango is a sweet girl but be careful. She'll beat the shit outta you before you can even bat an eye. She may look delicate but don't let that fool you. I have the medical records to prove it."

"My, a feisty one is she? Well, I'll just have to tame the beast, so to speak."

Inuyasha just busted out laughing again. When he calmed down he managed a "She's gonna eat you alive" before he erupted into another round of chuckles.

"Well, as long as we're warning each other I guess I should give you a few tips for Kagome's sake."

Inuyasha's laughter stopped immediately. "Oh, what kind of warning?" Inuyasha didn't want to give away too much. He liked her a lot. He just didn't know how much Miroku could know. Had he already given his feelings for her away?

"If you notice that she's not warming up to you or the others, don't think too much of it. She doesn't like to let people close to her. As far as I know, I'm the only friend she has. Kagome has a comfort zone that she doesn't like to extend for any reason. That's most likely the reason she didn't want to go on this outing. That's why she didn't give in until I said that I would come."

"Why does she feel like that? She never lets anyone in?" Inuyasha couldn't help the wave of depression that washed over him. Would she ever let him get close to her? He couldn't stand the thought that she might never want to be near him.

"That's not my place to say. If you want to know, you need to ask her. Just be careful if you do. She's really sensitive. Don't force it out of her. If she wants to tell you, she will. Try not to judge either. What might not seem like a big deal to you may be a very traumatizing experience for someone else."

"I'll remember." Inuyasha wanted to know more about Kagome but she was pulling into a driveway in front of them. His questions would have to wait.

Miroku pulled in behind Kagome and the three got out of their respective cars. As they walked up Inuyasha suddenly had a chill run down his spine. His instincts were screaming that something was wrong. Kagome's frightened voice made it that much worse.

"Miroku, did you shut the door when you left?"

"Yes, I did."

"You're sure?" asked Inuyasha in a little more demanding of a voice than he meant to use.

"I'm positive."

"You two get behind me." Inuyasha waited until Miroku and Kagome were safely behind him and unbuttoned his shirt. He had a white tank top on and a leather, buckskin gun harness fitted flush to his skin. Kagome watched between Inuyasha and the door that was left open only about a foot. She was terrified to say the least.

The gun was a last resort. He only carried it with him just in case. When he reached in between his shirts to pull his .357 Magnum Revolver, he didn't even take the safety off. He glanced behind himself to make sure Miroku and Kagome were still walking close to him. He pointed to his eyes and then to himself as if to say without words 'watch me'. Inuyasha neared the door and slowly pushed it open with his right foot. The first thing to meet his eyes was a huge mess.

The living room and kitchen were visible from the doorway he was standing in. Everything in the open cabinets was smashed on the floor. The dining room table and couches were turned upside down and everything that was fabric was ripped apart. Knickknacks were shattered on the living room floor and the TV's screen was caved in. Inuyasha made his way further into the house. He turned around to see Miroku consoling Kagome who had her head tucked into his chest. Inuyasha signaled to Miroku to keep quiet and Miroku nodded in understanding.

The bathroom was in just as much disarray as the rest of the house, as were the bedrooms. After he had gone through every nook and cranny to make sure there was no longer anyone in the home, he made his way back to the living room to find Kagome sitting on the only dining room chair that wasn't broken and Miroku getting her a glass of water. Kagome looked pale. She had an empty stare in her eyes and seemed to be looking at nothing and everything at the same time.

"Everything's clear. Who ever it was did what they came to do and left in a hurry."

Kagome finally looked at him. He saw the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over her ashen cheeks. Inuyasha rushed to kneel down in front of her. He took her hands and made soothing circles over them. Miroku handed the glass of water to Inuyasha. He took one of the hands he was holding and put the glass of water firmly in it. She took a few small sips and handed it back to him. He placed it on the floor and returned his hands to hers.

"Why would anyone do this?" she asked in a tired voice. The tears did spill after her question. Inuyasha brushed his thumb across her cheek as he had done yesterday to catch the silvery trails. Kagome closed her eyes and sniffled loudly.

"It's got to be the same guy. As far as I can tell, they didn't take anything. They were either looking for the will or trying to make a statement. They're trying to scare you into telling them what you know. I'm sorry you and your cousin are so involved in this. I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. I won't let them get to you."

Kagome lifted her eyes again. "Do you promise?" It was so soft, he almost didn't hear it.

"I swear on my own life I'll keep you safe."

"Thank you." Inuyasha stood and pulled her up with him. Kagome's legs were still shaky and she stumbled into his chest to catch her balance. His hands went to her ribs and held her still so she could get her equilibrium back.

Kagome blushed at the familiar contact. She felt those damned butterflies once more in the pit of her stomach and they were coming back full force. His body felt rock hard and soft at the same time. She thought about what he might do if she raked her finger nails lightly down his chest. She wondered if the chiseled muscles would jump under the skintight tank top. Stopping her thoughts before she actually did anything to give herself away, she muttered an apology and righted herself. Inuyasha reluctantly let her stand on her own and stepped back a few paces. He almost fell over when he stumbled on a broken lamp but barely caught his balance.

"Well," he said a little embarrassed, "pack light. If you need anything once we get going, don't worry about it. Well get that and some supplies once we land."

Miroku and Kagome headed to their respective rooms after nodding in affirmation.

While they went to pack, Inuyasha sat down in the seat Kagome had just vacated to get his breathing and his body back under control. All he could think about while he had held her was ripping her shirt off so he could feel her skin under his hands. She molded perfectly to his body. He could still feel her breasts pushed flush to his chest. He could feel her breathing on his neck. Inuyasha visibly shook his head and tried to think of other things while he waited impatiently for them to return.

Kagome and Miroku only packed a small bag apiece because most of their stuff was ruined. They both would have to get toiletries among other things once they got off the plane.

After they were done packing, they took one last look at their once beautiful house and left in silence. The mood was drab in the taxi on the way to the hotel. All they could think about was what their life would be like for the next week or so. Even if Inuyasha found the sword, would these people ever leave them alone?

--------------------------------

"Do you know where they're going next?"

"She said something about Tiangin before she left."

"Very good. I want someone to be at the airport when they get off the plane."

"Should they watch or act?"

"Just watching for right now. If the girl is ever left alone, go for her. Otherwise, stay at a safe distance. No need for Tanaka to get suspicious."

"Yes sir."

------------------------------

Inuyasha, Miroku and Kagome arrived back at the hotel late that afternoon.

"Do you want to go in the elevator or do you want to use the stairs?" asked Inuyasha.

"The elevator is fine. I use the one at my office everyday. I'm okay as long as I don't think about it too much," Kagome replied. 'How sweet of him to ask. Stop! You're not going to do this. You're reading too much into this. So what if he's nice. That doesn't mean anything. Get a grip Kagome!'

As Kagome mentally battered herself, the three of them stepped in the elevator. Kagome had her eyes down and Inuyasha had his eyes on her. All of a sudden, around the tenth floor, the elevator jerked to a stop and started again. Kagome gasped and grabbed the first thing her hand touched; Inuyasha's hand. Inuyasha was made immediately uncomfortable and stiffened like a rock. Kagome griped his hand so hard he thought he might loose circulation but thought better of making her let go. Her eyes were still squeezed shut when the doors to the metal monster opened. She opened them with a little hesitation and looked at Miroku, who had a smile on his face.

"What!" she asked him with a squeak.

Miroku didn't reply. He simply looked at their intertwined hands and smiled bigger as he stepped off the elevator and onto the ruby rug that lined the halls of the hotel. Kagome watched him step off and started to do so herself when she noticed that she was caught. She turned to see Inuyasha watching the floor of the elevator like it was going to do a trick and fighting back a blush. It finally dawned on her a few seconds later that her clammy hand was being held by an equally clammy something. She recoiled said offending limb like Inuyasha was the devil himself. He simply let his arm limply fall to his side and pushed around her into the hall.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha. I didn't know I did that. I tend to block out everything around me when I'm on one of those things," Kagome explained as she tried to catch up to the men who were quite a few paces ahead of her.

"Feh! Don't worry about it," he said under his breath. He really couldn't say much more. When she first grabbed his hand, he thought it was because she wanted to feel safe. If he couldn't give her anything else, he could give her that. But then when she pulled it back so fast, he saw a look on her face that implied that she hadn't really mean to do it. That hurt his pride more that he cared to admit. He thought maybe she was getting comfortable with him. Boy, was he wrong. Inuyasha solemnly trudged down the hall while fishing in his pocket for his key card.

Finally coming to the entrance of his room, he slid the card down the slot and opened the door. Inuyasha ushered Miroku and Kagome inside and locked the door behind them.

'You can never be too careful,' he thought.

"Hello. Where the hell are you guys?!"

"In here Inuyasha!" exclaimed a voice that could only be Sango.

Inuyasha walked through the conjoining doors. Before he made it all the way through, he turned to address the newest additions to their little hunting party.

"Make yourselves at home. I'm gonna call downstairs soon to see if we can get another hotel room at the last minute."

Kagome and Miroku nodded and watched Inuyasha disappear into the doorway. Miroku flopped down on the golden hued couch and started to untie his shoes. When he was sufficiently shoeless, he leaned back and glanced at Kagome. 'That's a nice scowl' he thought. He proceeded to look at her questioningly.

"What is wrong with you?!" she asked in a hushed but demanding voice.

"What? He said to make ourselves at home," he said with no volume control in his voice.

"Not that you idiot! I meant, how are you so calm? Please, feel free to panic with me!" Kagome was tired of being the only one who felt like she was in _way_ over her head. Inuyasha being so level headed was one thing. She didn't really know him that well, so for all she knew he was in this amount of danger on a weekly basis. If she only knew how well she had hit the nail on the head. But for Miroku to be acting so nonchalantly about having their home ripped apart was pushing her over the edge. Was she the only sane one in the whole world!

"Kagome, there's no need to worry right now. Inuyasha said that he would take care of you. I think he knows what he's doing, judging from his earlier rescue of you."

"But you don't understand!" She was starting to really panic now. She could feel each breath getting shorter and shorter. Her legs were giving out on her and her vision was starting to get faded and fuzzy around the edges. "Our home is ripped apart and some mad man is out to get me. He could kill me anytime he wanted to whether _Inuyasha_ wants him to or not. He could…he could…" She was running out of steam.

Miroku was letting her rant. But when her voice started getting weak, he watched her more carefully. She seemed to be swaying as if she might topple over.

"Kagome?" Something was wrong. She couldn't hear very clearly. She felt like gravity had suddenly tripled and someone had shoved cotton in her ears.

"Miroku?" Then everything went dark.

As Kagome fell, Miroku jumped up to catch her. In mid leap to get to her before she hit the floor, he yelled for help. He caught her in the nick of time and turned to see three people coming through the conjoining doorway. Inuyasha already had his gun pulled.

"What the hell's going on? What happened to her?!" Inuyasha didn't even give him time to answer. He placed his gun on the side table and scooped Kagome from Miroku's arms and set her on the couch.

Miroku had finally started to panic. Panicking to him meant babbling.

"I don't know what happened. One minute she was ranting about me being so calm and the next she was falling down." All of this information came rushing out of his mouth in about 0.2 seconds.

"She's still breathing." Inuyasha was checking her pulse and noticed it fluttering out of control. "Sango, get me a wet washcloth. I think she had a panic attack. She should wake up in a minute or so."

Miroku calmed himself enough to register what Inuyasha said. "Are you sure she'll be okay?"

"I'm sure. Her heart rate is already starting to calm. I'm surprised she held up this well. I expected her to have one of these at your house. I guess she held it in until you two were alone."

"That sure sounds like Kagome." Miroku had to agree with Inuyasha. Their new friend understood Kagome more than he thought he did.

"Here's the cloth Inuyasha." Sango held it out and he snatched it from her. He gently wiped her brow, face and neck.

"Kagome, you need to wake up. Can you open your eyes for me?" Inuyasha was trying to keep his voice calm and steady when all he really wanted to do was have a panic attack himself. He was worried about her mental state before all this. Most people don't react too well to someone trying to maim and even kill them. He thought she was handling it well; almost too well. He should have seen something like this coming. He cursed himself mentally while he watched her eyes flutter. When she opened them to half mast, he let out the breath he was holding.

Kagome thought she was dreaming. Here was her knight in shining armor looking at her again with that beautiful concern. She reached a hand and stroked one of those handsome cheeks.

"Am I dreaming?"

Inuyasha smiled. "No, you're not dreaming. Are you okay?"

Kagome suddenly remember why she was asleep. She pulled back her hand and settled in on her chest. She could feel the blood heating up her cheeks.

"I think I'm okay. What happened? Why did I faint?" Her voice was weak and shaky.

"I think you had a panic attack. Do you want to try sitting up?"

She answered with a nod and tried to rise on her own only to have her brain feel as if it were sloshing around in her head. She started to fall back down when she felt two strong hands helping her. When Inuyasha had her upright she could see the others in the room. Myoga, Sango and Miroku were looking at her like she might suddenly combust. She fought back the desire to roll her eyes.

"Are you really okay Kagome?" Sango asked.

"Really you guys, I'm fine. I'm sorry if I made you all worry."

"Don't be silly," replied Myoga. "Were just glad you're conscious."

Miroku and Sango nodded to convey that they agreed with Myoga. Inuyasha just continued to focus on her; her every breath and movement. Without taking his eyes off of Kagome, he addressed Myoga.

"Myoga, will you call downstairs and see if we can get another room?"

"Of course."

Myoga rounded the couch to the side table to pick up the phone. As he made his call Sango fretted around Inuyasha and Kagome while Miroku got a glass of ice water. He never understood why, but when Kagome was overtaxed, nothing helped like a good, old fashioned glass of water. He brought the glass to her and she took small sips while Inuyasha stared at her as if she might suddenly jump up and fling herself out the window.

"Well, I have bad news. The front desk said there are no more rooms on this floor. We'll have to take one on the next floor down." Myoga was holding the phone in one hand with the other hand over the mouthpiece so the desk attendant couldn't hear the conversation.

"Tell them to hold it for us and that we'll call them back."

Myoga turned, put the phone up to his ear and talked quietly into it.

Inuyasha had yet to move from Kagome's side. Miroku was leaning on the side of the couch watching her and Sango was sitting beside her. Inuyasha needed to talk to her but he couldn't do it with all these people here. He didn't want her to feel pressured.

"Kagome, do you want to get some air."

"Yes, please." Inuyasha helped her to her feet and lead her to the balcony doors between the kitchen and the living area. Before he went out he motioned to Sango and Miroku not to come out. They nodded reluctantly.

Inuyasha shut the doors behind him. "Kagome, I need to ask you to be okay with something."

"Is that why you pulled me away from the others?" Kagome had her back turned to him and was leaning against the banister overlooking the city.

"Yeah. I wanted to ask you where you wouldn't feel pressured. Because we can't get a room next to the ones we already have, we need to discuss sleeping arrangements. I can't let you share a room with Miroku like I had planned. Your options are to share a room with Sango or with me."

"Why wouldn't you just ask me in there? You knew it would be best if I share a room with Sango." Kagome was confused. What was he getting at?

"That's what I meant when I said I didn't want you to feel pressured. I would prefer you share a room with me." He saw her eyes widen. Before she could retaliate, he continued speaking.

"I know what you're thinking and I did say I wasn't worried about Sango. But the reason I'm not worried about Sango is she can take care of herself. That doesn't mean she can take care of you while she's at it. I couldn't say that in there. She would argue and insist that she could and confuse you. If I left you and her alone in a room something could happen to one or both of you. I don't want anything happening to either of you. Please just consider it. We could get a room with two twins or I could sleep on the couch."

Kagome just stared at him without emotion. She couldn't let him know that it was more than the fact that it was morally wrong for just him and her to share a room. She was terrified that she might give into the feelings that she had. 'Wait. Am I really so weak that I would give in to passion rather than reason? What the heck is wrong with me? I can do this. This would keep me safest and Miroku would be safe because he would be no where near me. Is Inuyasha really so sure of himself though?' Kagome was lost in her thoughts when she heard Inuyasha clear his throat. She snapped her line of sight to his and sighed.

"Are you sure you still want to keep me safe? It could mean your life as well." Kagome was wondering what his reasoning behind all this was. Why was she so important that he would put his life on the line for hers?

"Feh. Stupid girl. Of course I want to keep you safe. I still need to make up for you being attacked and your house being ransacked. If you really don't feel comfortable being alone in a room with me, maybe I could get two conjoining rooms downstairs. Sango and you could stay in one and I could stay in the next."

Kagome smiled. "No, that's fine. I know you've already paid for these two rooms which would make you pay for one extra. I wouldn't want you to spend anymore money than you already are. It's fine with me if we share a room and if they have one with twin beds, that would be fine." Kagome had to do this to prove to herself that she could. She had to prove to herself that she could be in a room alone with him and not jump his bones. Kagome silently laughed at the literal notion of that thought.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha wanted to make sure she was completely comfortable. He didn't want to rush her into a situation that would make her bolt. He wanted her to be able to be comfortable with him by herself before he made his move.

Kagome nodded and they shared a few minutes of silence before they headed back in.

Miroku, Sango and Myoga were sitting in the living room discussing something.

"What'd we miss?" Inuyasha asked looking down at the floor. He felt as if everyone knew his ulterior motives. He hated ulterior motives. He really did feel she was safest with him but he was also using the situation to his advantage.

"We were talking about getting something to eat," piped in Miroku. "It's well past lunch and Kagome and I haven't even eaten breakfast yet."

"Okay, there's a restaurant downstairs. Do you all want to get something from there? I heard the food was pretty okay and they have ramen." Inuyasha was excited about that. After he made his little speech, he gazed off into the distance and imagined swimming in a giant bowl of ramen.

"Earth to Inuyasha, come in Inuyasha." Sango waved a hand in front of his face. He refocused his eyes and rolled them. The other four snickered at him and he grumbled under his breath while the group went to eat a late lunch. After lunch everyone felt better than they had all day.

-----------------------------

I know it's a little short but it felt like a good stopping point. I hope to get some good action into the next chapter so I hope you're not too disappointed in the lack there of in this one.

I would also like to say before I get flamed that I know Kagome character is not in the least bit strong right now. She cries easy, has fears of everything and had a panic attack. I purposely portrayed her like this. If you stick with me, you will start to see little changes in her as the story progresses. Please, have some patience. I was watching the movie one day and it hit me like a sack of bricks how much their main characterizations are alike. It was kind of eerie. I'm so glad you liked the first meeting scene. It was really hard to portray what I wanted to get through. I'm really happy that you appreciated it. Thanks for the review. 008: I am going for an Inuyasha sort of meets Indiana Jones. It's not a crossover or anything. The only thing I'm getting from Mister Jones is the world traveling adventure and the treasure hunting. Inuyasha will share a few of his beliefs but other than that, it's all Inuyasha AU. I'm glad you like the story so far and I hope you will keep reading. Thanks for the review.

That's it folks. Until next time…


	6. Chapter 5

I would have gotten this out sooner but it was hard to write and my computer was down on Saturday. It's thunderstorm season here. As always, please review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and company.

Warning: If you are reading this on then there is a small lime. If you would like the clean version then look for the story on 5:

Confessions and Dreams:

"Are you sure you're comfortable with this. It's not too late to change your mind." Inuyasha wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake.

Kagome was flying around the room adjusting this and that. It was something she always did when she was nervous. It was a trait she vaguely remembered her mother having. She almost didn't hear Inuyasha's question over her own bustling.

"What? Oh, I'm perfectly fine!" Kagome was hoping he didn't hear her voice crack under the horrible lie. As luck would have it, he didn't buy it. She really needed to get better at this lying thing.

"No you're not. Granted I've only known you for less than a day, but something's wrong. You can tell me if you're not comfortable. I'll figure something else out." Inuyasha's voice trailed off with the disappointment he hadn't meant to put at the end of his declaration. He winced when he realized how desperate he sounded.

Kagome wondered why he sounded so hurt. 'I probably hurt his male pride. He thinks I think he can't protect me. I don't want to hurt him.' Kagome sighed.

"Inuyasha, if you think that this is for the best, then that's what I want to do. I wanted Miroku to come along but I don't want him to be in danger. If I sleep in the same room as him, he could be killed too. I admit that I am a little fidgety but it will pass. It's not you, it's this whole situation. It's hard to believe that this _sword_ is so important that someone would resort to these measures."

Inuyasha hadn't thought about that. She really didn't know anything about the sword. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. Maybe if she was curious enough about the sword, he could get something from her in return.

"Do you wanna know why the sword is so important?" He could almost see the lights turn on in her beautiful grey-blue eyes.

"Yes, very much so."

"If I tell you about the sword, afterward, I get to ask you one question, and you have to answer. Is it a deal?"

Kagome thought about this. What could he possibly want to know about her? She wasn't very interesting. She was a lonely lawyer who didn't have any friends or hobbies. That was it. He wanted free legal advice. That had to be it. Smiling, she nodded. "Agreed."

Inuyasha was praising whatever deity was up there for her agreement. He cleared his throat and begun to weave his tale…

"About five hundred years ago there was a mighty Lord who ruled over the Western lands of Japan. His wife bore him a son and he was very happy. The three of them could always be seen together. He taught his son how to be a leader and how to fight. He also taught him how to hunt and about love. His wife taught his son how to paint and sing and play the flute. She taught him about the finer things in life.

"One day his wife fell ill and the doctor told him that there was nothing they could do and that she would die soon. He sped to her room to talk to her while she was still able. When he got there, he could see that she was barely holding on. He went to her bedside and began to stroke her face."

Inuyasha kept talking as Kagome came to sit next to him on his bed. She was wide eyed and had a sad looking crinkle showing on her forehead. Inuyasha knew he had the gift of storytelling. All his students had told him so and he loved to see the reactions on their faces as he told the stories of history. It was one of his favorite things in the whole world. Now, he was sharing his enjoyment with his new favorite person in the world. Kagome grabbed his hand and encouraged him with a nod.

"She whispered to him to take a new wife when she was gone. She wanted him to find another mother figure for her son and she wanted her beloved husband to be happy. She told him it was her dying wish and then she passed on to the netherworld.

"The next few months were hard for the widower and his son. They didn't know what to do with themselves without their wonderful wife and mother.

"One day while hunting, they found an injured maiden in the forest. She was covered in dirt and couldn't remember her name let alone anything else. The Lord and his heir took her back to the castle and told her she was welcome to stay.

"Many more months passed and the Lord fell in love with the maiden who was named Takara; for she really was their treasure. The Lord married Takara and after a year she also bore him a son.

"They taught him all the things the first son was taught. Hunting, music, fighting, poetry and so on. The first and second sons would play together and got along very well.

"Many years later, it was time for the first son to fulfill his duty to the land. Before he was named the new lord, the father commissioned two swords to be made. The Lord found the most well known and sought after sword maker in all the land. He asked the swords to be made with the finest steal and best materials the sword maker could work with.

"The day before the first son was named Lord, their father presented them with the two swords. He told his sons that they were brother swords and they must always stay together, much like the two of them. It was a symbol of the brothers' bond.

"Legend has it that the two brothers decided to rule together and equally. Their first sons did so after them and so on and so forth. The swords followed on with each generation until about two hundred years ago. The new generations didn't get along well and refused to rule together. They started a war and eventually one side won over the other. Because of their actions, the Gods decided to take their swords and hide them.

"Eventually, everyone forgot about the swords and they vanished into history until about ten years ago. Some archeologists were digging in Japan and found a diary of the sword maker. He had several months worth of journal entries about forging the swords and what their purpose was. The journal itself went for ten million dollars U.S. just because it mentioned the brother swords. The swords would be worth ten times as much. About five years ago, the Tenseiga was found. Sesshoumaru bought it at auction for ninety million dollars."

Kagome gasped at the price. Inuyasha smiled at her and proceeded with his explanation.

"That's why this Naraku wants the sword. It's worth a very large amount. He wants it so bad he can taste it."

Kagome had a thoughtful look on her face. Inuyasha was wondering what her mind was concocting. He didn't have to wait long.

"So, that's the reason why they would want it. What makes you so different? Don't you want it for the same reason?"

Inuyasha didn't expect the hurt he felt at her accusation. She didn't know anything!

"I'll admit I want to find the Tetsusaiga, but not for the same reasons as that asshole. I would never hurt someone to get what I wanted, like him."

Kagome could see that she had upset him unintentionally. Inuyasha rested his clenched fists on his thighs. He was staring at the wall across the room as if he wanted to punch it. Kagome had to do something before he lost his cool and became angry with her.

"I'm sorry. I know that you're different than him. I didn't mean to offend you. I would have never put my safety in your hands if I thought you were capable of the same things as he is. I just wanted to know why you wanted to find it so badly, I guess."

Inuyasha was startled out of his offended mood by Kagome's soft words. He looked over at her to see that she had turned away from him and had her head down. Inuyasha sighed and took her hand again, which in turn made her head pop up and a startled look come over her face. When Kagome saw that Inuyasha was smiling, she smiled back.

"I sorry too. I know you don't put me in the same category as that filth. It's just that, during my whole treasure hunting career, a lot of people have called me a graverobber and lots of other unsavory names. I just get a little defensive, is all."

"That's okay." Kagome still wondered why he wanted it. Her questioning gaze reminded Inuyasha of that.

"The reason Sesshoumaru and I want the swords so much is because the similarities between us and the first brothers the swords were given to. Other than the fact that we're half brothers, we're named after them. The eldest brother was named Sesshoumaru and the youngest was named Inuyasha. There's one more reason we want the swords found. Now that I think about it, I don't even think I told Sango and Myoga. I wonder why I never told them."

Kagome knew Inuyasha was going to tell her something very crucial and the fact that he was talking to himself instead of spiting it out was pissing her off. She wanted to know, damn it! "Um, Inuyasha, what was the other reason?"

"Oh yeah," Inuyasha faced her with a sheepish look. "The other reason is because our dad told us the story of the brothers when we were little. When we were older, he told us that we were supposedly descendants of the original brothers. That's why we want those swords so bad. We want that part of our family's history back. It means a great deal to us. Do you understand now why we need to find them?"

Kagome smiled up at him and told him that she understood.

"Now that I've told you the history of the sword, I get to ask my question."

Kagome went back to her bed that was right beside Inuyasha's so she could give him her undivided attention. "What's the question?"

"Well, don't get mad but, I was talking to Miroku about something while we were in the car. It just came up while we were following you to your house. I asked him a question but he told me that it was a question for you to answer; that it was not his place to answer."

Kagome had steeled herself for a law related question. Her eyes widened when she saw what he was getting at. There could only be a few questions that Miroku could have said that about. She swallowed hard and nodded for him to continue.

Inuyasha saw the horror in her eyes and almost told her never mind, that he wouldn't ask. At the same time, her reaction pushed him to ask the question. Now, he just had to know. He would try to make her more comfortable, though.

"Kagome, if it's too painful for you to answer, then I won't make you. I'm just curious and sometimes it helps to get things off your chest. I know it sounds really cliché but you'll never know until you try."

Those words rang true with Kagome. Miroku had spoken those same words time and time again to her. She had always told him that it was a stupid suggestion because she could never trust anyone enough to tell them. But here was her knight in shining armor giving her the same advice and, strangely enough, she didn't feel nervous or scared anymore. She trusted him with her secret. 'When did I start to trust him?' she asked herself. Was it when she opened her eyes on the street after the attack to find him gazing back at her? Or was it when he promised her, with his life, that he would keep her safe? She didn't know. All she knew was that she wanted to tell him. "Ask your question," she said in a determined voice.

Inuyasha watched the emotions run across her eyes. First there was fear, then puzzlement and now she displayed nothing but calm resolve. He wondered what she was thinking but thought better than to waste his one question on that. He blinked and sucked in a breath.

"Well, at first I was warning your perverted cousin about messing with Sango. If he does something stupid, she'll throw him through a window and think nothing about it."

Kagome giggled and let him continue.

"Then, he said that he should warn me about you."

Kagome gulped, but didn't interrupt.

"He said that I shouldn't be surprised if you don't warm up to me and the others; if you remain distant. I asked him why you would be like that, but he told me that it wasn't for him to answer. I guess what I'm asking is, why didn't you ever get close to anyone?"

Kagome dropped her eyes and then sighed. "I don't like to talk about those things and Miroku knows it. I guess he was right in not telling you because if anyone told you, it would probably be better if it were me. I've told Miroku a lot but he still doesn't know some things. If I tell you though, you have to promise not to look at me with pity. That's the one thing I can't stand."

"Trust me Kagome; if anyone hates pity more than you, it's me. I swear that I won't look at you any differently than I do right now."

And she did trust him, so she continued.

"And you won't tell anyone else; not even Miroku?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Okay, I guess I'll start with the part Miroku knows. When I was ten, I moved to Japan with my grandfather. We got along great until the day before my graduation. He always wanted me to be a doctor like my mother. I guess I can understand why."

Inuyasha wanted to ask why, but he just let himself listen. He didn't want her to stop now.

"I wanted to be a lawyer. I mean really, really wanted to be a lawyer. At the time I was prepared to do as my grandfather wished but Miroku convinced me that I should follow my heart; that if it was something that would make me happy, my parents would want me to follow through with it.

"So, the night before I graduated, I told my grandfather that I was going to become a lawyer. He got so angry."

Kagome voice was so small that Inuyasha had to strain to hear. She had her head down again. He got up very slowly so she would know he was coming, and moved over to her bed as she had done before. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and smiled a painful smile. He wanted to kiss her at that very moment. Inuyasha wanted to make her forget all the pain and damage that had been done to her soul but contained himself. She was still keeping him at a distance and he didn't want to betray her trust.

Kagome took a deep breath through the tears and kept talking, before she lost her nerve.

"He almost threw me out on the street. Before he could I called Miroku and told him what had happened. He came over and took me to his house. He comforted me the best he could, but the damage had already been done. I don't trust anyone to be close to me for two reasons and that is the biggest one. He was my grandfather and at that moment, he hated me. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to hate me forever but he probably couldn't because I look exactly like my mom. He could never hate someone that looked like his daughter."

Kagome was crying uncontrollably now. Her whole body was wracked with sobs. Inuyasha took his chances and pulled them both to the head of the bed. He set her in his lap and wrapped his arms protectively around her. She was soaking the front of his shirt with her tears, but he could care less. He tried to sooth her with his voice. It had worked before and Inuyasha was an avid member of the 'don't fix it if it ain't broken' club.

"Kagome," he said softly, "you have to calm down or you might have another panic attack. Just listen to my breathing and imitate it."

Inuyasha breathed slowly in, and then out. Soon Kagome had stopped crying and was breathing in time with him. They lay there for a long while, listening to each other's hearts and breaths. Kagome felt so content that she almost fell asleep before Inuyasha's velvet voice broke through.

"Kagome, if you want to stop now, we can. I don't want you to keep going if this is what it does to you. We can wait until another day. Are you sleepy?"

Kagome's yawn answered his question. Inuyasha chuckled and moved to get up and go to his own bed. Before he could she was gripping the front of his shirt with a fierceness that he had never seen in her before. He looked at her with concern.

"Kagome? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Kagome looked up at him. There was that wonderful, breathtaking concern again. She wondered quickly to herself if she would ever get used to looking into his beautiful, amber eyes.

"I'm fine. I was just wondering if you would, maybe…"

Her voice trailed off. Could she really ask him to do what she wanted and still keep him from jumping to conclusions? Would he take advantage of her?

Inuyasha saw her inner turmoil and wondered what she could possibly want him to do. All she had to do was ask and he would swallow fire for her.

Kagome sighed. "I was wondering if you would lie here with me until I fell asleep." Kagome looked guiltily at the bed as if she had done something wrong. Inuyasha wanted to smooth the lines on her face with his hands and kiss her eyelids. If just lying here with her was what she wanted, then that's what he would do. If that's all she could ever give him, he would take it. He put his hand under her chin and lifted it so she was looking at him. He nodded at her, and a smiled graced her face. Oh, what he wouldn't do to see her smile all day, everyday. He would do anything to be in a position to see her face light up like that for the rest of his life. It was official. In only twenty-four hours, he was in love. He had never been in love before. He made a mental note to talk to Sango.

Inuyasha, still in a sitting position, let Kagome lie on his chest. Before Kagome fell asleep, all she could think of was how right it felt. When Inuyasha noticed that she had drifted to sleep, he gently moved her to the pillow and crept off the bed. When he got into his bed, he noticed how empty and cold it was. He shivered and prepared himself for a night of tossing and turning.

---------------------------------

Miroku and Myoga sat on two bar stools across from Sango who was acting as bartender. It was a small wet bar in one of the hotel rooms that they were sharing.

"So boys, what'll it be?"

Myoga scratched his chin and replied. "I think I'll have an Apple Brandy Sour."

"Sure thing; and what about you Miroku?"

"I'll just have straight up whiskey; whatever's back there."

Soon Sango had the guy's drinks made and was making herself a Cosmopolitan Martini.

Miroku slugged back the shot of whiskey and began to pour himself another one.

"So, is it really okay that Kagome's in a room all alone with Inuyasha? I don't mean to doubt you but I have to ask."

Sango shrugged. "If anyone can keep her safe, it's Inuyasha. She'll be fine. He won't let anyone hurt her."

Miroku shook his head and sighed. "That's not really what I meant." Another shot slid down his throat and another was poured. "I mean, he's a guy alone with a woman. Will he keep his hands to himself, so to speak?"

Myoga was taking a swallow of his drink when Miroku got the sentence out. He almost choked through a snort after hearing what Miroku was getting at. Sango was making no effort to hold her laughter in. She threw her head back and cackled. Her reaction was probably more from the drink that was almost finished, than the question.

Miroku just looked at the two and wondered what inside joke he was missing. He was about to ask what was so damn funny, but Sango started explaining before he could.

"Miroku, if she's safe with any male, it's Inuyasha. He's such a prude. I don't think he's been with a woman in two years. About six months ago we were worried it might fall off from not being used." The three of them snickered and felt as if they were breaking a law by talking about him in such a way. "Anyway," Sango said after they got a little more serious. "Inuyasha went out on a couple dates with a business friend of Myoga's named Kikyo, and it started getting serious. He told me that they were at her apartment one night fooling around and she said that she wanted to fuck."

Sango was getting annoyed at the perverted smile on Miroku's face, but kept going all the same. She hadn't thought about the consequences of telling her friend's story, but she would let the letcher know later to keep his mouth shut. Keeping an evil grin off her face at the possibilities, she continued.

"So, basically, Inuyasha let her get to almost the point of no return and then he freaked out. He left her horny as hell, sitting on a cold bed. Inuyasha told me later that he didn't really know what happened. He said that he felt his fight or flight instinct kick in and since he couldn't fight her, guess which one he picked."

Miroku had a thoughtful look on his face. He wondered what was wrong with Inuyasha that he would prefer a night at home alone to a begging woman. There was only one thing it could be.

"Well, I guess the obvious question would be, is he gay?"

It was Sango's turn to almost spit out her drink. She exhibited a horrified look on her face as if she had swallowed a bug. After she was sure that she wasn't going to gag on her coughs, she found her voice and answered the question.

"He most certainly is not! I can see how you would think that but if you heard the things he said about Kagome last night, you would never ask that question." Sango turned to make herself another drink when she realized what she had done. She stiffened and turned around to Miroku who was sporting a rather large grin. Sango's eyes grew as big as saucers.

"Oh my god, you can't tell her. Inuyasha will kill me if you do!"

"Don't worry Sango, my sweet. I won't tell Kagome that Inuyasha has the hots for her if you don't tell Inuyasha that Kagome is confused as to whether or not she has loving feelings for him." Myoga cleared his throat and cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, this is an interesting development."

Miroku turned to Myoga with a grin. "Quite," was all he said before downing his shot.

"So, what do we do?" Sango liked Kagome, and from what she could see, Kagome was someone who could do Inuyasha some good. She might be able to demolish his fear of commitment.

"I don't think we need to interfere now. They seem to be moving quite fast on their own. I mean, if Inuyasha was truthful about the things he said to you, Sango, and Kagome was truthful about the way she feels about him then we need to let them try to figure it out on their own. If they don't get it after a while, then we'll intervene." Myoga was a man who liked the principal of letting people live their own lives. He was a live and let live kind of man. But where Inuyasha was concerned, sometimes pushes in the right direction were needed.

With that said, Myoga bid them a good night and set off to find his bed. Sango and Miroku still sat at the bar sipping their drinks.

"So, Miroku, I have a question."

"Fire away," he said while swiveling his stool to face her.

Sango wore a mischievous smile on her face and Miroku could feel the sweat start to bead on his forehead. "I was just wondering why a person with a sixth degree black belt in Taekwondo and a master of the bo staff would let someone else protect his cousin."

Miroku suddenly went pale. He really started sweating and looked like a fish on the table with a knife at his throat. "How did you know that?"

"The internet is a wonderful tool. For that matter, so are private investigators." Sango was wondering what the big deal was. Someone with that degree of knowledge should be proud of it. Miroku just looked angry.

"You had a private investigator dig up stuff on me? Why the hell would you do such a thing?!" Miroku was livid. That was a major violation of privacy. He could be caught if Sango decided to open her mouth at the wrong time. He was going to have to play it smooth.

"Okay, so you caught me." Miroku took a deep breath and locked eyes with a confused Sango. "I am those things but I don't want Kagome to find out. She hates violence and would throw the biggest fit any of you have ever seen. If it really came to it I would protect her with what I know, but I would rather not."

"Just because Kagome wouldn't like it, you refuse to protect her?" It was Sango's turn to become angry now. That was the stupidest thing she had ever heard. "Are you sure there's no other reason."

"Well I thought, given the way Kagome felt about Inuyasha, I would let him protect her and maybe she would trust him enough to open up to him and give him a chance. There's a lot about Kagome that you don't know. It would seriously screw things up with her and I if she found out. It would be a reason she could use to push me away. She's tried so many times and I don't want to give her any ammunition. Please try to understand why I don't want her to know about this part of my life."

Sango studied his face for a moment. Miroku seemed as if he was sincere and she wanted Kagome and Inuyasha to get close, too. She still didn't understand the whole 'don't tell Kagome about the amazing skill level' but she would hold her tongue. He said that he would protect her if he had to but seemed content to let Inuyasha play the hero and get the girl. That was fine with her. Now, to snag her own hero. Sango smiled slyly and batted her eyes.

"I promise I won't tell. But I have to say, I'm very impressed." Nothing worked better than stroking an ego, when it came to guys. Who ever said 'the way to a man's heart was through his stomach' obviously didn't know how to flatter a guy by talking about how strong he was.

"What are you referring to, Sango, my dear?"

"Your remarkable abilities of course. I've never met anyone with your kind of expertise. May I ask why you don't teach?"

"Well, I only started martial arts as a way to stay in shape. I never meant to go this far. I like learning but I never had any desire to teach. I help the younger students every now and again but that's all. I love being a massage therapist. I love the human body and love to hear someone say that their day to day life is easier because I help them relax. Would you like one?"

Minutes later a horribly loud skin to skin sound is heard, followed by, "PERVERT!!!"

--------------------------------

"Kagura, the plans have changed. I need you to take one of them out."

"Which one would that be?" Kagura hated to be ordered around, but it was the life her shitty parents had given her. What the hell kind of parent sold their teenage daughter to a psycho, just to have a condo in the Bahamas? Oh well, maybe one day she would be free, but today was not that day.

"Take the old one out. If you capture him he won't be able to put up much of a fight but will refuse to tell you anything. Don't kill him, or Inuyasha will want revenge. Just injure him enough to get him out of the way."

"Yes, sir." Kagura hung up the phone and flopped down on the bed. So, how was she supposed to get him alone to do some damage. She was already risking being caught by staying at the same hotel as them.

Kagura laid on her bed formulating a plan. She needed a diversion. They were all so worried about the girl that it shouldn't be too hard.

She picked up the phone again and dialed a number. After a few rings, a gruff voice answered the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hello Kouga, I need a favor."

-------------------------------------

To read the version with the 'lime', go to woke to find that the noise that he had thought was Kagome having an orgasm was really an alarm clock. My, but he was disappointed. The dream hadn't really gotten to the good stuff yet. Well, none of the good stuff for him, anyway.

The voice was familiar but it had yet to dawn on him who it actually was. Inuyasha rolled over to his side and slowly opened his squinted eyes. Sango had obviously not trusted him to get up on his own, so she had taken it upon herself to be his personal wake up call.

Inuyasha groaned, rolled back over and covered his head with the white sheet he was using. He so wanted to go back to the wonderful dream. It seemed Sango had other plans for him. He heard her walk up to the side of the bed and the next thing he knew, he was flying through the air and he hit the floor with a thud.

He struggled with the sheet that was now wrapped around his body in a strange way, and swiftly turned to glare at Sango. She was standing near the door, ready to run if need be.

"What the fuck, bitch?!!! Who the hell do you think you are, tossing my mattress like that with me on it?!"

"I think I'm the one who was sent to wake your sorry ass up. Now come on, we're all ready and waiting for you."

Inuyasha scrunched up his face and ran his hands through his hair. Then he noticed who was missing. "Where's Kagome?"

"She's down stairs with Miroku and Myoga."

"What the hell! Those two clowns can't keep her safe."

Sango had a smug look on her face. "Oh yes they can. It seems our new friend Miroku was hiding something from us."

Inuyasha was interested now. "What the hell are you talking about? What do you know that I should know?"

"I'll tell you on the plane if you'll get up and get dressed. If you don't hurry, you'll miss breakfast."

Inuyasha grumbled, and picked himself up off the floor. "That's fine. I need to talk to you about something, too. I'll be down soon."

Sango chuckled and right before she closed the door she said, "And you may want to take care of little Inu before you come down."

Inuyasha turned the prettiest shade of scarlet anyone could ever hope for.

---------------------------------

I know, I know, it mostly a filler chapter. I promised action but I had some other stuff to get out of the way like the legend. Next chapter will defiantly be more action and less fluff. I hope you like it anyway. This was also my first attempt at a lime and I would really like some feed back.

Apple Brandy Sour

2 oz Apple brandy

1/2 tsp Powdered sugar

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 slice Lemon

1 Cherry

Cosmopolitan Martini

1/2 oz Cointreau

1 oz Vodka

Juice of 1/2 Lime

1 splash Cranberry He has won her trust and she is finally letting someone see the messed up side of her. She has her baggage but Inuyasha is going to help her with that. Eventually he'll get to see the extent of the damage and help her heal. The only problem he has is getting her to stop thinking so much and just go for it. Thanks for the great review and feed back. Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like it and hope you continue to read and review. I love reviews and I'm happy to get each and every one of them.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha but a girl can wish upon a star; can't she?

Chapter 6:

10-71:

Inuyasha finally, after a very cold shower, came downstairs with all his things packed to see the others eating breakfast. He muttered good morning to all of them but made sure not to look Kagome in the eyes lest he relive the problem he had earlier. Having Sango know about it was hard enough.

Sango spoke up after downing the last of her glass of milk. "So, here's the itinerary for today. The plane leaves in a few hours. It won't take long at all to get to Beijing so I don't want to hear any complaining Inuyasha."

Inuyasha grumbled and continued to eat his breakfast with breakneck speed.

Sango sighed at her ill-mannered friend and proceeded. "Once we get off the plane, we'll take another rental car to just outside of Tianjin, where our hotel is. Inuyasha and Kagome will share a room again. Miroku and Myoga will be on one side of them, and I'll be on the other."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Why are Inuyasha and I sharing a room again? If you managed to get us rooms together then why wouldn't you and I share?" Kagome asked Sango. It was more like she choked it out, because of the muffin she had yet to swallow.

Sango frowned. "As much as I hate to admit it, and you better not gloat Inuyasha," growled Sango as she pierced Inuyasha with a fiery stare, "Kagome, you are safer with Inuyasha. He can react better than I can to dire situations and I wouldn't want to put you in a risk filled situation just because I was too proud to admit that Inuyasha could protect you better than I can."

"If that's what you think is best," she paused and turned to look at Inuyasha. "If it's okay with you then it's okay with me."

Inuyasha thought for a second about how to respond. If he answered too eagerly then he might give himself away. Not to mention, Sango would have a field day with it. He really, really did want to stay in the same room as Kagome again. He sucked in a breath while avoiding her gaze. "It don't make a shit to me. I could protect you just fine from next door but if Sango says so then I have no objection." Inuyasha plastered a pretty scowl on his face and after a few seconds looked up to see Kagome down looking at her hands in her lap. He turned his gaze to the other occupants of the table and noticed they were shaking their heads at him.

"What? What did I say?"

After eating breakfast and turning their rental car in, the five of them hopped into a taxi, and headed to the airport. When they were seated, Inuyasha asked Kagome to switch places with him so he could sit next to Sango. They still needed to talk to each other. It was safe to talk. Sango wasn't able to get them seats next to each other on such short notice. Myoga, Kagome and Miroku were sitting several isles down.

"You first Sango; I want to know what you were talking about when you said that Miroku was hiding something."

Sango pasted a grin on her face and turned to face him. Inuyasha knew that look. It was the one that promised girly gushing on her part. At least it wasn't anything bad or she would have a more serious attitude.

"Well, I know that if you weren't around to protect Kagome, Miroku could do a pretty good job of protecting her by himself."

"What are you blabbering about Sango? He would never be able to protect Kagome like I can." Inuyasha felt the stab at his heart at Sango accusations. 'If Miroku really can protect her, will he take her away from me?' he worried.

"Before I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't tell Kagome. He doesn't want her to know. He said it would give her another reason to push him away, whatever that means."

Inuyasha knew exactly what that meant. Although, he didn't realize until now the severity of the problem. If Kagome would try to push even her own cousin away, what kind of chance did that give him? Inuyasha decided that he would expel that question from his mind. He had other things to think about. Like finding out what the hell Sango knew.

"Fine. I won't tell Kagome. But if she asks me outright, I won't lie to her."

Sango was wondering what that was all about, but decided she would ask later. "Well, I had Shippo find out all about Kagome and Miroku. I wanted to make sure that they were who they said they were."

"Of course they're who they say they are, Sango! What the fuck?" Inuyasha couldn't really determine why he was mad. It was a necessary precaution, but he couldn't help the feeling that dug into his gut. He felt like he was betraying Kagome's trust. How could she learn to trust him if he was digging up dirt about her?

"Really Inuyasha, is it that important? I only told Miroku because I wanted to find out if the things Shippo found out were true. If you're worried that Kagome might find out then stop worrying." Shippo was one of Sango's main investigators. He truly had talent for the sneaky and mischievous activities required of him.

"Whatever. Just tell me what Shippo found out."

"Well," the girly gushing was back with a vengeance, "Miroku is a sixth degree black belt in Taekwondo." Inuyasha's eyes widened. She looked around with half mast eyes as if to see if anyone was listening. The people around them could care less but that didn't stop Sango's conspiratory gaze. "Not only that, he's a master of the bo staff."

Inuyasha gaped for a moment until he felt a question nagging at the back of his brain. He forced a shake of his head as his brows came together fiercely. "Why the hell wouldn't he want Kagome to know? Why would she not like the fact that he's able to protect her _and_ himself?"

Sango sighed and looked at her folded hands in her lap. "He said something about her not liking violence. I'm not really sure though. He could have just told me that." Casting her eyes in the direction of the parties in question she added, "Sometimes, I just don't know about those two."

"Tell me about it," mumbled Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, you look like you want to tell me something, too. Is anything wrong?" Sango made sure her friend had her undivided attention in case he really did feel the need to get something off his chest.

Inuyasha looked at her with a lost expression on his face and Sango's face reflected concern. "Sango, do you think it's possible to fall in love with someone that you don't even really know?"

He averted his eyes when he saw Sango's shocked expression. She was at a loss for words. What the hell could she say to that? Trying to clear her mind she closed her eyes and forced a long exhalation. Looking into his eyes that were now focused on her she tried to find the words that would convey what she wanted to say.

"Can I ask you a question before I answer yours?" He barely let his head move down and back up again. "How can you tell its love?"

He thought about it for a few moments before he answered. "I don't know I am; I feel that I am. It feels like walking on clouds and being in hell at the same time." The last of his explanation ended in him stealing a glance at the woman who'd captured his heart. He watched her for a second as she laughed with Miroku and Myoga. God, did he love that smile. He found himself smiling along with her until Sango broke his dreamy stare by clearing her throat. He turned to see her grinning back at him.

"I think that it is possible for you to be in love with her. She's so wonderful and I see the way your eyes light up when she talks to you or looks at you. I think that she at least likes you, too."

Inuyasha's face morphed into an expression of disbelief. "Why do you think that? Did she say anything to you?"

Sango shook her head. "No Inuyasha, it's just a feeling I have: womanly instincts. I don't know why I think that, I just do." She wasn't about to tell him what she, Myoga and Miroku had discussed the previous night. It wasn't worth the yelling she would no doubt be subjected to when Inuyasha learned that Miroku knew about his feelings for Kagome.

Inuyasha smiled a warm smile and sighed. "I hope you're right Sango. I don't know what I'll do if she never has any interest. What should I do now?" His voice held a strange quality as he wrung his hands at the last question. Anxiousness was the best way to describe it but it held undertones of hopelessness. Sango tried to brush it away. She needed to help her friend by giving the right advice. She had never seen her best friend so lost and she was going to do everything in her power to fix it.

"Well, you said yourself that you don't know each other very well. Why don't you ask her questions about herself? You know, where she was born, what school she went to, what her favorite color is; that kind of stuff." Inuyasha was wide eyed and staring at her while he soaked up every word like a sponge, giving short, curt nods. If the situation wasn't so dire, Sango would have laughed, but she continued addressing her friend instead.

"If she asks about you, tell her anything she wants to know. Women can't stand it when you withhold information from them. Tell her every detail without talking about yourself too much. If you're with Miroku and Kagome, ask them the same question so you seem interested in both of them. I know it sounds funny but if you're all about her all the time she might box you out. You have to be cunning in your moves and anticipate her comfort. If she seems uncomfortable with a situation, get her out of it. If she looks thirsty, get her something before she asks. It's all about reading her. The more time you spend with her, the more you're able to give her every thing she wants."

Inuyasha shook his head at all the advice. This was going to be hard. He had no idea what it took to make a purposely secluded woman want him. "Why does this have to be so hard?" he whispered.

Sango's smile reminded him of his mother. "All things that are worth the effort are hard."

------------------------------

Much to Inuyasha's satisfaction, the plane ride was rather short just as Sango had said at breakfast. The whole way to China, he thought about the advice that Sango had given him.

They landed in Beijing at 9:00 am and would be at the hotel outside of Tianjin in no time. The five of them stepped off the plane and stretched their legs.

"Well, do you two need anything?" Inuyasha wanted to shop first so it would be out of the way. He never really liked shopping unless it was for food. He was one of those guys that only walked into a clothing store when he knew exactly what he was looking for.

"I guess we need toothbrushes, toothpaste and maybe a few articles of clothing." Kagome felt like she was asking if she could have a pony and a princess party. She hated having to ask for things. She could pay for something if she wanted it but Inuyasha had already proclaimed that he was paying for everything and there was nothing that would convince him otherwise.

Inuyasha suggested that Myoga get the new rental car while he and the others grab the luggage. The shorter the amount of time they spent in the airport, the quicker they would get to the shopping and the sooner they could get to the hotel. Sleeping was Inuyasha's priority at the moment seeing as how he had only had about three hours of restless sleep the night before, which only ended in a painful erection followed by utter embarrassment.

Inuyasha motioned the others towards the luggage circling around the conveyer belt and the four of them began to pick up their bags and set them on a cart.

----------------------------

Kouga sat in the shadows waiting for the intended target to approach. Kagura had given him simple directions, meaning no details, for what he was supposed to do. He was only to distract this Inu-trasha guy long enough for…well; he didn't really know that part either. All he had was a surveillance picture of the guy and was told that two females and two other males would be with him.

The other picture in his hand was of a short, plump, balding guy. The only other instruction was to get him away from the rest of his flock.

Kouga finally spotted the guy with the silver hair after what seemed like forever. He could see two females but only one other male. The fat guy was no where to be found. That made his job so much easier. He allowed himself a smile at his good fortune.

He could see Inu what's-his-face dropping bags onto a trolley and began to sneak up behind him. He was formulating a plan of action when a familiar face caught his attention. What's more, the familiar face seemed to be one of the ladies traveling with the silver haired freak. Realizing that this may be a better plan than the one where he blindly engaged an opponent that he didn't know, he let another smile grace his face as he put a large hand on said lovely woman's shoulder.

Kagome whipped around at the contact. Her eyes went large and she flung herself into the arms of a very large male. She giggled as he twirled her around. When he set her down she smiled. "Kouga! What are you doing here?!"

----------------------------

Kagura smirked as she saw her plan become even better than had she imagined. They had let the old man wander off alone, and he was in the perfect position for her to make her move. It was one less thing to have to rely on the idiot for. As long as that stupid ass Kouga made good on the diversion, she could get away before anyone was any the wiser.

Kagura wasn't stupid. She had been given very vague details regarding Naraku's master plan but even an idiot couldn't help but see what he was doing. Naraku was planning to pick the small group off one at a time. The old man was the first to go. He was more of a threat than the Sango girl but not enough of a threat that he couldn't be taken down easily.

Kagura glanced at where Kouga was beginning to make his grand appearance and shifted her eyes back to the target. After she noticed that Kouga had indeed done his job, she raised the gun and fired.

-----------------------------

"Kouga! What are you doing here?!" Kagome figured that he would be the last person she would see on this trip. After all, she hadn't seen him since they graduated from law school. He sort of disappeared and was never seen again. She'd heard from a few people that he had taken to moving around quite a lot.

Kouga flashed a brilliant smile and hazily noticed the angry white haired guy hovering over her shoulder. "I'm getting on a plane in a couple of hours. What are you doing here?" 'That's right.' Kouga thought to himself. 'Just make small talk for a while and then leave. Whatever Kagura has planned shouldn't take more than a few minutes, considering that she never told me how long to distract them.'

Inuyasha was livid. No, that wasn't even a strong enough word. He was mad as fuck! How dare that guy sweep Kagome off her feet when he wasn't even able to get her to look at him without the look of a deer caught in the headlights? Inuyasha had to use all his strength not to walk over and punch the guy out. He gnashed his teeth in an effort to relieve the pain at seeing the smile on Kagome's face that was put there by the man he now loathed with every fiber of his being. He wanted her to smile for him like that.

Kagome was about to tell Kouga the whole sorted story when she heard a loud bang. All at once she was on the floor with a body covering her. She could hear strangled cries but couldn't make them out. She was shocked, to say the least, and just who the hell was on top of her anyway? Time seemed to have no meaning as she finally figured out who was on pining her down. It was Inuyasha. She was beginning to drown in his smell. He smelled of enticingly masculine cologne and another scent that was all his own. She thought for a moment about how much money she could make if she could bottle this smell that had engulfed her when suddenly, he moved. Well, Inuyasha slid across her body, more than anything else.

She wondered what had gotten into her body. She wanted to rake her nails down his body and kiss his neck which, for a few seconds was within reach of her mouth. She wanted to taste him and touch him. 'Wait a minute, was that a gun shot?' Reality crashed down upon her.

Kagome opened her eyes when the weight that had been blanketing against her lessened. She stared at him with a bewildered expression for a few seconds before it all clicked in her mind.

Someone had shot a gun in the airport. 'ohmygod,ohmygod,ohmygod,ohmygod!'

Inuyasha sensed that Kagome wouldn't be able to get up on her own, so he crouched down and scooped her up. Kouga was looking just as shocked as she, but for entirely different reasons.

The first thought that crossed Kouga's mind made him so mad he could tear the column near him from the ground and throw it a good long ways. Maybe if he threw it hard enough, it would hit that conniving bitch, Kagura. His first thought, by the way Inu something-or-other had hit the ground with Kagome was that Kagome was, in fact, Kagura's target.

That conclusion held no merit after he noticed that a whole slew of people were circling around another body. That Sango girl's voice was heard over everyone else's roars of shock and dismay.

"Myoga!!! Inuyasha, its Myoga. He's the one on the ground." Sango ran to the injured party in question while Inuyasha processed what her outburst meant.

Inuyasha could hear the blood in his ears rushing and Kagome's sniffles as she realized what Sango had just said. Even through all the noise, he finally noticed the one man that Kagome had been hanging all over earlier, was saying something.

"I'm so sorry Kagome. If I would have known…" Kouga didn't know what had come over him. He never apologized for the jobs that he did. But, this was Kagome. They had been sort of friends in college. If you count only seeing each other in one class a semester friends. He never really minded that she seemed so closed off and it made him even more determined to win her heart. He had been struck by the girl the first moment he laid eyes on her, but she never gave him a chance. Now here he was, the reason her other escort, or whatever these people were to her, was possibly dead. Kouga hung his head in shame.

Inuyasha knew what he meant and the guy wasn't going to get away with it. Miroku was still standing at his side. He heard Sango yelling that Myoga was still alive and that an ambulance was on its way. That was all he needed to hear.

Inuyasha handed a still stunned Kagome over to Miroku and proceeded to get some answers. He grabbed the stranger by the front of the shirt and glared down at him. If looks could kill…

"You're coming with us," Inuyasha growled deep in his throat.

-------------------------------

Kagome, Miroku and Sango sat in the "family room" at the hospital as they franticly waited for news of Myoga's condition. They were all edgy and nervous after what had transpired at the airport. One of their friends could be fatally wounded and they could do nothing to help. It was quite a feeling of uselessness.

Kagome, not being able to sit still and wait, got up and started pacing. After pacing a whole five seconds, she stopped mid stride. "I think I'm going to go find Inuyasha." Not even waiting to hear a reply, she opened the door to the hallway leading outside and set out to do as she said.

She wasn't sure where to find him. He had acted stranger than the rest of them after the shooting and had demanded that her old colleague come with them. As she softly padded down the hallway, she began to wonder why Inuyasha would want Kouga to come along with them.

Kagome was almost to the food court when she heard an angry, muffled voice coming from a utility closet she had just passed. Letting her curiosity get the better of her, she backed up a few paces and listened intently to the seething voice.

She could hear very clearly now. It was Inuyasha and some other noises that sounded like things being thrown off a shelf. At first she thought he had gone somewhere private to let his sadness about Myoga out. After all, Inuyasha had made it no secret that he was a very proud man.

But then, she could hear what he was saying.

"Tell me what the fuck else you know or so help me God, I'll kill you. I don't care if you're an old friend of Kagome's or not. I'll slice you from gullet to gut if you don't start talking."

Kagome's mouth had gone slack. Who was he talking to and why was he saying such violent things to…'Oh God, Kouga!'

Before she could even register that it might be a bad idea to break up a fight that might involve murderous intent, she clutched the handle to the closet and with one swift movement, threw it open.

Shock was the first thing Inuyasha saw on Kagome's face, when he looked up. Then anger replaced it quickly. 'Aw, fuck…'

Kagome walked in on the most horrifying thing she had ever seen. The guy she hadn't seen in several years was on the ground bleeding out of every orifice she could see. Above him her hero was quickly diminishing in her eyes. Inuyasha was hovering over Kouga with his fist half cocked ready to deal another blow to the already very battered man.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome breathed through clenched teeth.

"Kagome, turn around and go back to the others. You shouldn't be wandering around by yourself." Inuyasha turned to look down at the man on the ground. He could understand why she would be upset, by why at him? This man had something to do with Myoga's shooter and he was going to get answers, by God. He may even kill him if it came to that.

Kagome snapped. Who the hell was he to order her around? She would go wherever she damn well pleased and would accept the consequences for her actions. She was looking for the one who was supposed to be protecting her, after all. And she had found him, all right. Then he had the nerve to brush his violent behavior off like she had found him doing nothing more playing cards with wrinkled, old people.

"I will not! What in the world do you think your doing?!" Kagome shrieked.

"Not that it's any of your concern right now, but I'm trying to find out what this wolf-in-sheep's-clothing knows about the person that shot Myoga." Inuyasha rose to his full height but refused to let the man off the ground.

"What the hell would he have to do with it? He doesn't know anything. He was standing with us at the time. What makes you think he knows anything?!" Kagome was growing angrier by the second. Had he become completely paranoid and schizophrenic?

"You mean you didn't hear him apologize to you right after it happened? He knows something, Kagome."

"Wha…?" Kagome looked down at Inuyasha's feet to see Kouga looking at her through very swollen eyes. "Kouga?" She almost didn't want to know. Could he really have something to do with all this?

"I'm sorry Kagome." Kouga coughed and sputtered as the words left his mouth. His head lolled back and his eyes closed and opened again in an attempt to regain their focus.

"You see, he knows som…" He was cut off by a short wave of Kagome's hand. Inuyasha fisted his hands and tried his damnest not to push her ass out the door and lock it.

Kagome kneeled down a few feet from Kouga and found his eyes once again. "You're sorry for what Kouga?" Maybe it wasn't what she was hoping against all hope it wasn't. Maybe there was a perfectly good explanation for the 'sorry'. No such luck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that's what she was gonna do. I never thought she'd shoot someone." His voice was strained, but she could still make it out.

Kagome backed away slowly and shook her head in disbelief. "What part did you play Kouga?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"I was supposed to keep this guy busy for a few minutes. I didn't know you were with him until the last second, I swear." Kouga closed his eyes and Inuyasha decked him so hard he really did lose consciousness.

Kagome let loose a squeal and backpedaled all the way to the door. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "Why?" she asked looking up to Inuyasha.

"Because he hurt you."

---------------------------------

So now, Kagome was waiting for two people to recover. The doctors had said Myoga was out of danger but that still didn't keep everyone from worrying. He had caught a bullet in his right shoulder but other than that, he was fine. He would have to stay in the hospital for a week or so, so he wouldn't be accompanying the others on the trip.

Kouga was dragged by Inuyasha to the E.R. after that final blow. He'd yelled for Kagome to come with him and she did. Inuyasha told the triage nurse that he had found the man, in that condition, about a block from the hospital. They were waiting for him to wake up so they could get some real answers.

Inuyasha took the opportunity to call Sesshoumaru and fill him in on the recent events and ask for some backup.

"Inuyasha, it is one o'clock in the morning. This had better be worth my time or I'll fly to Tokyo and rip your still beating heart out." Sesshoumaru always did have an affinity for the dramatic.

"Fuck you, bastard. I just wanted to call you and let you know that we've had some problems and I need your help. Besides, it's gonna be hard to kick my ass in Tokyo when I'm in China." Inuyasha loathed having to ask his brother for help, but he knew as soon as he told him what or who the help was for, Sessh would bend over backwards to help him out. It would really be in his best interests.

"Go on you idiot; you've wasted enough of my time."

"Myoga got shot this morning and I think it may have something to do with this Naraku guy."

There was a long, pregnant pause.

"Is he still alive?"

"Of course he is! If he wasn't I would have said that he was dead, not shot, you dumbass!"

"What do you need from me then?"

Inuyasha ground his teeth to keep from yelling at him. "I need you to send someone here to protect him. The cops are here now but they won't be for long. They'll be here for another day or so getting the story from him. He hasn't woken up yet but will soon. I want someone here as soon as you can get them."

"This is acceptable. But I do have one question little brother. Why would they go after the old man when they've made it perfectly clear that they want the girl you now protect? What make's you so sure it's Naraku."

"Because we found out one of his lackey's was trying to keep me and the others occupied. I beat the shit out of him and he passed out. I'm waiting for him to wake up now. When he does, I'll get the answers one way or another. As for why they went after Myoga, I don't know. I'm sure he has a reason and a plan, but I'm a little stumped."

"Very well; what's his name? I'll have Shippo find out more about him."

"His name's Kouga but don't bother. Sango already called Shippo. He's been working on it for the past hour."

"Well little brother, it seems you have this under control. Where are you going after you question the scum?"

"We're going to Tianjin to speak to the descendant of the man who made the sword. I'll be staying at a hotel just inside of town."

"If you run into anymore problems call me. I'll patch you to the guard house so you can tell them the address of the hospital. Tell them I said to send their most reliable and capable people."

"Sure thing. I'll call after I talk to this descendant guy."

"Be sure that you do."

There was an audible click and Inuyasha closed his cell phone.

-----------------------------

An hour passed before Kouga woke up. Inuyasha barged right in and started demanding answers. Kagome trotted alongside him.

"You better tell me everything you know or I'll make it so this is the last bed you ever get to sleep in."

Inuyasha was hovering over Kouga again with the same murderous gleam in his eyes. Kagome knew that if she didn't do something soon, Inuyasha would make good on his promises. The last thing she needed was for Inuyasha to go to jail and leave no one to protect her.

"Inuyasha, can I ask some questions?"

Inuyasha whipped his head around to the person whom he didn't even know had been following him. "I don't even want you in here Kagome. You shouldn't have to see this." After the comment, he let his gaze slide down to Kouga once more to accentuate the point that there was going to be bloodshed.

"Inuyasha, I'm not leaving. I want some answers myself."

"Fine, but make them quick." Inuyasha proceeded to sit in a chair between the bed Kouga was laying on and Kagome. He wasn't giving that wolf-in-sheep's-clothing a half an inch to make a move against her. He would be dead before he even settled his sights on her.

Kagome wet her lips and thought about how to word her first question. "So," she began. "You really didn't have any idea that I was traveling with Inuyasha?"

"I told you I didn't, Kagome." Kouga averted his eyes to look at the foot of the bed. "I could never hurt you on purpose." It was whispered, but she heard it. What was worse was that Inuyasha had heard it.

"Why you,…" Inuyasha jumped up to make a move when Kagome's voice stopped him.

"Please Inuyasha, I need some more answers. If you knock him out again, we'll be stuck here until Easter. Now sit down."

Inuyasha promptly did as she asked but not without a few mumbles of protest.

Kagome let out a breath slowly and placed her sights back on the matter at hand.

"Kouga, who asked you to distract Inuyasha?"

Kouga sighed. "I wish I could, but I can't tell you that Kagome. I'll be dead by morning if I tell you."

"You'll be dead in five minutes if you don't give her the answers she wants," came Inuyasha's clipped retort.

"Inuyasha, you're not killing him." Kagome turned the soft coaxing voice that she was using with Kouga to an almost growl.

"Why are you defending him? These people could be after you next, Kagome. How can I protect you if I don't have all the information available?"

"I can't let you hurt him anymore Inuyasha. He was very nice to me in school and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let you do what you want to do to him."

Kagome turned her attention back to Kouga get some more answers. Maybe he would slip up. "What did this person ask you to do, again?"

"She called in a favor from me." 'So it's a she' thought Kagome as she let him continue.

"She asked me to get the old man away from the rest of you and to distract you. That's all she said. She faxed me some pictures of you," he pointed to Inuyasha, "and the old man."

"Okay, is that all you can tell me. Please Kouga, if you're leaving anything out…" Kagome let her voice fade away.

"That's all I can tell you without getting myself killed. I'm sorry Kagome."

"That's okay Kouga." Kagome's voice started to quiver. She fought back the tears that twinkled in her eyes. She wasn't even really sure why she wanted to cry so badly. Was it the stress of having to interrogate a person she had known to only be honest? Was it that she was worried about Myoga, one of the sweetest men she had ever met? Or was it the whole situation she found herself in? She wasn't sure. She just wanted to feel safe again.

Inuyasha heard the crack in Kagome's voice and glanced through his hair to see a waterfall threatening to spill over her lashes. Strangely enough, Sango's words from earlier came back to him.

"_If she seems uncomfortable with a situation, get her out of it."_

She seemed uncomfortable, alright. He jumped up from his chair. Inuyasha walked over to Kagome and grabbed her by the arm. "Please Kagome, let's go. He's not going to tell us anything."

Kagome was startled for a moment at his sudden change of attitude. Less than thirty second ago, he wanted to rip Kouga limb from limb. Now he was telling her that it was useless to question Kouga further. But, she really did want to leave the room. She looked at Inuyasha who was facing her and the door behind her. His eyes held a worry she had seen before and she had her answer for the mood change. 'He must think I'm crying because of Kouga.' She nodded signifying that she did want to leave.

He spun her around using the arm he was holding and wrapped his left arm around her. Kagome glanced back at Kouga and Inuyasha rushed her out the door before she could see his face.

Kagome made her lungs drag in a breath and blow it out again. Then she realized where she was. She was walking down the hall with Inuyasha's arm slung protectively over her upper back. His hand was pulling her closer to his body. Kagome allowed herself a tiny smile.

This was what she wanted; to feel safe again. Here he was, making her feel safe. They walked in silence back to the others. There was no need to share words. Kagome relished the comfort Inuyasha was giving her and Inuyasha was basking in the closeness of Kagome. He could smell her shampoo, she was so close. They both wished the walk back to the others was longer.

Not long after the two of them returned to Miroku and Sango, they all left to hail a taxi, turn in and get a long night's sleep after the day from hell.

------------------------------

Sorry this chapter took longer to get out than the others. I went back and changed a few things I wasn't happy with. Review and let me know if you like it. If you find errors, please feel free to point them out to me. You can e-mail me if you like.

10-71 is police code for a shooting. I never really intended for Inuyasha and Kagome to get so close so quick. It just kind of felt right. There will be a few bumps and disagreements in the future but I never really like to write dark fics. This is more of an adventure and romance fic anyway. Kagome is still afraid but Inuyasha will prove over time that she can count on him in any situation. That's what I was trying to get across in this chapter. Not only can he protect her physically, but he can protect her emotionally too. I'm glad you like the last chapter. Thanks for the review.

Vixenpi: Thank you for the complement. I always like when authors write nice, long, descriptive chapters. It makes the experience that much more fun and I'm glad you appreciate it. I know there wasn't anything about Miroku and Sango but I'll get to it in the next chapter. I'm going to try alternating story line and action with fluff and romance. I hope it works. Thanks for the review.

InuKagome4Life: Two reviews, OMG I love you! lol I'm sorry that you don't have internet. I know it sucks and I would go insane. I spend half my life out of work on this computer. As for the Indiana Jones thing, I have the collection too and I can't wait for the new one to come out next summer. I love Harrison Ford. Anywho, me and the old man (my bf) were watching one day and it just kinda clicked. I'm glad you like the new chapters and I hope you like this one too. Let me know. I'm so glad you like it. Thanks for the review.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Misinterpretations:

"So, what was he, an ex or something?" Inuyasha was not known for beating around the bush.

Kagome turned five shades of crimson. "Of course not! What would give you that impression?" Her voice had turned shrill.

Inuyasha shrugged as he unpacked his clothing and hung up what couldn't be folded. "I don't know. Maybe it was because you were hanging all over him. I could only assume that you two had some kind of relationship by the girly giggles and smiles you were throwing him."

Okay, so he wasn't playing nice. But he just couldn't stand it. He was trying so hard to get her to see that he was the right person for her, and all she wanted to do was hang on some guy that she hadn't seen in God knows how long. It was certifiable; Inuyasha was crazy jealous.

Kagome's face turned an even more violent shade of red at the accusations. "I was not hanging all over him! It's not like that. I just wasn't expecting to see him, is all." 'I'm fooling no one. I was just so happy so see someone I recognized that I did the first thing I could think of.' Kagome sighed at her inner battle.

"So, who is he to you?" He was going to get to the bottom of this if it was the last thing he did. It may very well have been the last thing he did, too. When he turned to look at Kagome, her face was scrunched up in the stormiest expression he had ever seen on a female face. Inuyasha paled at the hateful vibe that radiated off the little vixen he had come to adore.

Kagome ground her teeth and bit her tongue. The things that wanted to fly out of her mouth would not help her situation. She calmed her breathing and tried to find a voice that wouldn't drip with acid.

"Not that it's any of your business, but Kouga is an old college classmate. I had a few classes with him and after he graduated, he left. This is the first time I've seen him in almost two years."

"Oh. So, you guys never went out on dates or anything like that?" He was digging deep now; grasping at straws. Maybe it was nothing more than a classmate to classmate relationship. Inuyasha didn't even like the word _relationship_ tied to Kagome in any way. Unless it was in reference to him, of course.

"Well, he kind of tricked me into a date one time and he came off as really overpowering. I never went anywhere with him after that."

Inuyasha saw red for a moment. "What do you mean overpowering!? I'll kill that bastar…"

Inuyasha was half way out the door before Kagome's voice beckoned him back.

"No! It was nothing like _that_. I just mean that he came on a little too strong. He was calling me 'his woman' and would freak when another guy even looked at me. He never did anything to hurt me." Kagome's eyes were frantic by the end of her explanation. 'Would he really go beat Kouga up even more than he already has?' Her saner side quipped back, 'Of course he would. He knocked the guy out cold just for freaking you out in the closet.'

Inuyasha still had one foot out the door. He was trying to make sure that she wasn't just trying to save the puny wolf's life. He carefully took in her serious expression and finally closed the door again.

"I'm sorry I got so worked up. I just can't stand guys who try to make women do things they don't want to do." 'Especially you', he added in his mind. What was it about this tiny woman that made him so…passionate?

"That's okay Inuyasha," Kagome said as she walked into the bathroom, keeping the door open to talk to him. She didn't know why, but she didn't want to close the door. She felt safer when she could see him. It really was a good thing she was rooming with him again. She would have been going insane right now if that wasn't the arrangement.

"I'm glad there are still men out there that hold your beliefs."

Inuyasha bit back a smile at hearing her say that. He sat on his own twin bed and watched her start to put toothpaste on her toothbrush.

"_Why don't you ask her questions about herself?"_

Inuyasha was never so glad to hear another voice inside his head.

"So," he began. "You said that you lived in the States until you were nine. Where did you live?"

Kagome spit the foam from her mouth with as much grace as possible. "I lived in Maine mostly. I did live in Georgia for about a year. It was so hot and sticky there."

Inuyasha almost drooled on himself. '…hot and sticky…' Gulping in some much needed air; he continued.

"Did Miroku grow up in America too?"

"Yeah, he lived in California for a while and then his parents moved to Maine with me and Gramps to help him raise me."

"Oh, that was nice of his parents." 'Just keep it going, Inuyasha, you're doing great. She doesn't seem to mind the questions so far.'

"They're great. I love my aunt and uncle. They really helped us out. They're the ones that suggested to Gramps that we all move Japan. We needed a change. Where do you live?"

"_If she asks about you, tell her anything she wants to know."_

"I live in North Carolina."

"I've been through there. I liked it. It's was very green and very pretty."

Inuyasha chuckled. "That's how everyone describes it; 'green and pretty'."

Kagome finished washing her face and finally felt like a human being again. She was really enjoying getting to know Inuyasha and his questions didn't bother her at all. Usually she felt as if she was being grilled the moment someone put a verbal question mark at the end of a sentence. It was…comfortable. It always was with him for some reason. She had opened up, as she never had before, and cried like a baby the night before, but he didn't seem to be freaked out like she thought he would be. He seemed to still want to get to know her and enjoy her company, as much she did his. As much as it scared her that she was actually confiding in someone, somehow it felt okay. It was like talking to Miroku.

She slipped onto the bed next to his. She was smiling and Inuyasha was thrilled he put that smile there.

"Does your brother live close to you?"

"If he's still on this planet, he lives too close to me." They shared a light hearted laugh. "He lives near Raleigh with his wife and I live in the mountains."

"You live by yourself?" Why was she really sorry she'd asked that question? 'Because you might not want to hear the answer.'

"Yeah." Kagome almost sighed in contentment, but stopped herself. 'What do I care, anyway?' her inner-self asked in an angry tone.

Kagome yawned through the confusing thoughts going around inside her head. Inuyasha smirked.

"I think we should go to sleep. It's been a really long day." Inuyasha thought about Myoga and felt guilty that he wasn't there.

"You're right; goodnight, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's heart fluttered as he turned off the lights. He wouldn't mind hearing that every night from Kagome's lips.

"Goodnight, Kagome."

------------------------------

"So, my lovely Sango, what do you make of our friends' plight?" Miroku was lying on his bed with his hands behind his head. He felt as if this made his biceps seem bigger. He was already half naked and Sango hadn't even spared him a lingering glance. What was it going to take to get her to notice his physique?

Sango was having her own problems. Such as trying not to ogle and drool all over herself. She was having a hard time concentrating on cleaning her gun. That was not necessarily a good problem to have. Miroku's question barely registered in her mind and she struggled to think of a decent response.

"I don't know. They obviously have intense feelings for one another. I wish they would just get over themselves and go for it."

Miroku turned to his right side to face Sango. He propped his head on his right hand and hoped that she would look at him.

"I wish that as well. The problem does not lie with Inuyasha as much as it does with Kagome. I love my cousin but she has some major issues to sort out. I have to admit though, I've never seen her so at ease with a male before. Maybe Inuyasha is making more headway than he realizes."

She wasn't even listening. My, the thoughts that were swimming through her head right now. She wanted nothing more than to finally get this gun back together so she could hold it to his head and make him kiss her.

It had been a whole five minutes before Miroku pulled her out of her reverie.

"Sango, my sweet, are you alright?"

Sango's neck snapped up and she realized she hadn't spoken or even moved in quite a while. Her thoughts had taken her away to a magical land where she and the sexy massage and martial arts expert ravaged and worshiped each other. What she didn't realize, until after Miroku had broken her dream world musing, was that now she was looking at the real thing. Nothing she could have dreamt up could have prepared her for the sight she was to behold now.

He was a god. Well defined muscles were all she could see. His pectoral muscles were the sexiest thing she had ever seen up close. Sango's eyes scanned down to his delicious six pack. Further down was that heavenly arrow crafted from pure man muscle that seemed to point her in the direction of her deepest desires. She heard a chuckle in the back of her mind. It took her a whole ten seconds more to register that the chuckle had come from the room in which she now felt herself almost floating.

'Oh God…' Sango slowly closed her eyes and felt every blood cell that currently resided in her body relocate to her face and neck. When she finally found the courage to open her eyes again, she saw the most breathtaking smile on the most beautiful face in which she had ever laid her eyes. Somewhere in her mind, she let herself swoon. The only thing she let come to the surface was a rather exaggerated scoff and a hard scowl.

Miroku let his smile fall. He saw her looking. She was as ready to jump on him as a lioness would a fawn. Now she was pretending as if she wasn't looking. That, or she had just made a mistake and thought she was looking at an ice cream cone. Miroku scowled even harder at Sango and matched her threatening glare.

"What are you looking at pervert?"

Miroku's eyes widened. "You call me the pervert? I just caught you staring at me like a fat kid looks at cake!" There was no way she was just going to stroll by this and act as if it never happened.

Sango rolled her eyes in false denial and sighed as if she were talking to a child instead of a stud muffin. "I have no idea what you're talking about. If you're going to accuse me of things I didn't do then I'm going to sleep. Goodnight, Miroku."

With that, Sango turned out the lamp that stood that between the two beds and snuggled under the covers. After a few seconds of silence, a voice cut through the air like a bullet.

"If you wanted to look at me, all you had to do was look. Now, my lovely Sango, if you would like to touch…"

"PEVERET!!!"

------------------------------

Lime content can be found on eyes snapped open and the conscious world started to take on form. As the blurriness of her eyes faded, she started to make out colors and shapes. There was a massive white and pinkish shape that was coming together at an astounding pace. In less than the time it took Kagome to take the first breath of the awakened world, she finally made out Inuyasha above her. Not really sure if it was still a dream or not, she decided to take a chance and find out.

"Inuyasha?"

"Kagome, are you okay? I heard you whimpering and calling my name. What were you dreaming about?"

Kagome blushed so brightly that she shone like a beacon. She knew exactly why she had called his name. He had been doing wonderful things to her body only moments ago. She could still feel the effects of the dreams between her thighs. She still felt as if the motion of his tongue was going strong. Kagome's eyes widened even more as she tried to think of an excuse as to why she would have been calling his name.

Inuyasha had not been sure what was going on. One moment he was unconscious and the next he was hearing Kagome call his name as if someone were hurting her. He had bolted up from the bed and moved next to her to check on her when he heard her calling to him in a dream. He figured it was a nightmare about the man who attacked her in the alleyway in Tokyo. Now, he wasn't so sure. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed as if it was the complete opposite of a nightmare. The things that made him sure of this were her blushing and her hesitation. This abrupt morning call might be in his favor after all.

Inuyasha closed some of the distance between the two of them by sitting on the edge of the bed Kagome was still floundering on and leaned down. He caught her gaze in his and made his move.

"Kagome, were you dreaming about me?"

She didn't know what to do now. She was seconds away from telling him that it was a nightmare when he asked her that question that had a sly innuendo dripping from it. His voice was quiet but far from a whisper. She could feel his eyes trying to see into her soul. He was daring her to lie to him. 'He knows', she thought. She couldn't think, she couldn't move. The only thing she could do was give in to him, and that sexy voice, and that perfect body and everything of which he was made. The dream world had given her a taste of what it could be like if she gave in. She could feel her body heating up already. The only thing she could do was nod to him.

Inuyasha could see the wheels turning after he'd asked her if she was indeed dreaming about him. She couldn't deny him, it seemed. He inwardly let a parade go off in his head, complete with ticker tape and a marching band, when saw her head move slightly up and then down. He leaned down farther to place his mouth to her ear. Inuyasha felt her shudder with a cold chill when he let his breath caress the appendage. With as much self control as he was possibly able to gather, he whispered into the ear he was holding hostage.

"And what was I doing in the dream? This?"

He slowly raked his slightly parted mouth across her ear, jaw, chin, and finally made his way to her rosy lips.

Kagome was in a world of her own. For as long as she could remember, she had avoided situations such as this. She didn't want to get caught up in moments as these, where her brain shut down and her body went on auto pilot. What Inuyasha was doing reminded her so much of the dream Inuyasha that she couldn't possibly pull away or push him out of her space. Her brain kept screaming at her that she shouldn't do this, but her heart and body wanted this man. They had wanted him from the very beginning. After she'd told Miroku of her feelings, she'd brushed them aside and locked them away in a little box in her head that said very plainly 'DO NOT TOUCH'. But now, he was invoking those feelings again and she wanted him to do the things his mouth was promising her he would gladly do. So, she gave in to the kiss. Lightly at first, she tested the waters and found that real life was better than a dream any day. She could taste his sweet skin and feel the tenderness of his unsure movements. She wanted more but was waiting for him to initiate the next step.

After the first contact, Inuyasha almost lost all brain function. He vaguely realized he had shocked her at first by the contact but that very quickly, she was giving in to him. He could feel her shy mouth flutter innocently over his and it was all he could do not to slam his tongue into her cavern. He needed her to trust that he wouldn't make a move unless it was okay with her. She was finally realizing the feelings he was harboring for her and he wasn't about to destroy the only reciprocal action that she had shown. So, Inuyasha remained content with the soft, slow pecks she was letting herself indulge in.

Kagome was tired of waiting, so she did the only thing she could think of to coax him into giving her more. She slowly moved her hand to his face and wove her fingers to the back of his neck to give him a tug. Just when it seemed like he was getting the point and deepening the kiss…

:KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK:

That did it. The reality of the situation finally dawned on her. Kagome snapped back and scrambled to the headboard so fast that she smacked the back of her head on it. Her eyes were open wide with alarm, and she didn't seem to notice the look of hurt on the face of the other party involved. She turned her head and eyes downward and waited with bated breath to see what his next move was.

To say that he was hurt or had his pride injured was putting it lightly. He had never seen someone move so fast. She looked so frightened that he was wondering if maybe he'd hurt her in some way. 'Well, first things first', he thought. 'Kill the person on the other side of the door.'

Inuyasha jerked the door open so fast he could hear the frame make a cracking sound. On the other side was Sango, looking so oblivious to the whole situation that he wanted to strangle her. His fists clenched involuntarily at the thought.

"WHAT?!!!"

Sango scowled. "I thought you wanted to get up early! Don't yell at me for your stupidity!"

With that, Inuyasha slammed the door in her face. He whirled around to see if Kagome was all right and found that she wasn't in her bed anymore. With a perplexed look on his face, he called for her.

"Kagome."

"I'm in the bathroom getting ready. If you want a shower, you might want to hit up Sango and Miroku's. I'll be a little while."

Inuyasha sighed and sagged. She was avoiding the kiss by avoiding him, and he knew it. At the time it felt so right but now he realized how wrong he was. She was far from ready, and he never felt more like an ass in his entire life for not realizing it. When he found out what she was dreaming about, all coherent thought had flown out the window. He may have ruined the whole thing before it even started. This was going to take some massive damage control. He needed Miroku and Sango's help.

"As if I don't have enough on my plate."

-------------------------------------

Kagome's heart felt as if it was going to pound out of her chest. It didn't seem as if it was going to slow down any time soon, either. Because of the way she swayed on her feet when she let go of the counter she was clutching so tightly, she opted for a bath instead of a shower.

She was proud of the way she had kept her voice from sounding strained when he called out to her. She was also very glad that he had taken her advice to get ready in the other room instead of waiting for her to finish. She wasn't really sure if she could face him right now. That was the reason she had flown like a bat out of hell to the bathroom in the first place.

After the water ran into the large, white bathtub, she slowly stepped down into it and sank as low as she could without snorting water up her nose. She tried to relax and let her mind go blank but it wasn't working.

'Why did I let him kiss me,' she thought. She wasn't really sure what had gotten into herself. At first she tried to convince herself that she wasn't fully awake at the time and couldn't be held accountable for her actions. That thought flew out the window very quickly when she remembered how _very_ awake she was at the time.

She didn't want to admit to herself that she had really wanted to kiss him. She tried to tell herself that she had gotten caught up in the emotion of the moment, but a voice in the back of her mind kept telling her that it wasn't the first time she had wanted to kiss him. She wanted to kiss him before she knew his name. Since the first time she had seen him she wanted to know what his lips would feel like pressed to hers.

The more she thought about it, the more she become conscious of the fact that she had never really been 'caught up' in a situation before this one. She had pushed people away with near break neck speed before this man had entered her life. Why was Inuyasha so different that she couldn't bring herself to make him stop kissing her?

She wouldn't lie to herself anymore. She knew that she still held feelings for him. But she couldn't let him get close again. She would hurt him in the long run. Or worse, he would hurt her. Kagome knew that if she let herself become attached to him, and he were to leave her, she would never be the same again. Something about him made her sure that he had the potential to mean that much to her.

With a new resolve, she decided that it would never happen again. She couldn't risk it if she was to remain sane. Inuyasha had the potential to not only mean a great deal to her, he had the same potential to do harmful things to her psyche. Kagome couldn't let that happen again.

"Not again", she mumbled to herself with a steel determination. She got dressed and walked down the hallway to meet the others for breakfast.

------------------------------------

Kagome was trying to act as naturally as possible but was failing miserably. Unless the others were blind, they were going to be able to pick up quickly that something was wrong.

Breakfast was a disaster. Inuyasha had tried to speak to her when she arrived at the table inside the small café of the hotel. She couldn't even look into his eyes when she replied 'good morning' to him.

The rest of the meal was just as tense. Inuyasha had accidentally brushed the back of her hand when they both reached for the soy sauce in the middle of the table. Instead of brushing it off as if it was of no consequence, she had instantly pulled her hand back as if she had stuck it into hot coals.

Now, sitting in a crowded cab, the air was so thick with tension it could be scooped up and served. She'd caught some of the questioning glances that Miroku had thrown her and couldn't keep her brows from scrunching up with malice. Couldn't he just leave her alone to wallow in her new resolve?

If it was any consolation to Kagome, Inuyasha was having just as hard a time as she was. At breakfast, he wanted so badly to pull her aside and tell her how sorry he was for kissing her. He wasn't really sorry that it happened, but he was sorry for not communicating his intentions first. He should have told her how he felt about her first, instead of skipping ahead and doing something so stupid. It was his fault, entirely that she wouldn't look at him, let alone talk to him. He was drowning in self pity by the time the cab was hailed.

Silence permeated the air throughout ride and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms again and sooth her face with soft caresses. He wanted to see her smile again. She seemed to have a permanent crease in her forehead and knew he had one to match.

He was going to have to get her away from the others soon. He needed to tell her how he felt and how sorry he was for his mistake. He needed to tell her that somehow, in only the span of a few days, that he needed her.

'She's going to think you're crazy'

Finally the cab skidded to a halt and Kagome flew out of the car. Was she really that uncomfortable? Maybe she was disgusted with him. Maybe she didn't like the kiss as much as she seemed to. Inuyasha's heart almost broke at the thought. He wasn't sure what to do now. He couldn't just pour his feelings out simply for her to stomp on them like some nasty insect. His heart and soul couldn't take that kind of abuse. He really needed to talk to Miroku and Sango first. Maybe they could shed a little light on his current situation.

Kagome was standing on the sidewalk waiting for Miroku to step out of the cab. As soon as he did, she locked arms with him and sent him a look that stated that if he were to let go, he would die a slow, painful death. Miroku gulped at the tone of the sharp look that was thrown at him by his cousin, and nodded in understanding. He wasn't sure what was wrong with her. She had been acting strange all morning. But whatever it was, it was serious. He could only hope that later she would tell him what was causing her to cling to him so tightly that his arm felt as if it may fall off from losing circulation.

Inuyasha helped Sango out of the car and she gave him a good once-over. She knew something was amiss and cocked an eyebrow to display as much. Inuyasha sighed. He looked to make sure that Kagome and Miroku were out of earshot and turned to look at Sango again.

"I'll tell you later. I need to talk to you and Miroku."

"Does this have anything to do with why you were so mad when I knocked on the door this morning?"

"Yes. I'll answer all your questions later. Right now, I want to get this over with."

"Inuyasha, I figured you would be happier than this about finally having a clue to the brother sword's whereabouts. You seem like it's a hassle now. What gives?" Sango was at a loss. Whatever was bothering him was huge. She didn't like the feel of it. Kagome was acting strangely as well. She had a very strong feeling that the two problems had at least something to do with each other. 'Inuyasha must have done something stupid.' Sango shook her head and cast her eyes down.

"Okay Inuyasha. I'll let this go for now. But later, I want some answers. Do you promise?"

"Feh."

Sango knew that was as good an answer as she was going to get, so she let it go.

The four of them finally looked up and saw their destination. It was an old, worn down shack that was sturdily build on the side of a river bank. There was a sign on the door that Kagome and Miroku could barely make out. It simply read, 'Sword Maker'.

Inuyasha made it to the front door first and tapped with a small amount of force. After several minutes and a few very unfriendly bangs on the old wooden door, Inuyasha took it upon himself to let himself in.

--------------------------------

I know that this is a short chapter. I wanted to get it out sooner too, but I've had writer's block. That and I found a new fanfic and couldn't seem to stop reading it. This was the fluffy chapter…sorta. I had to throw some angst in there to keep the story from coming together too fast. Kagome already has doubt in her mind but Inuyasha needed some as well. Thanks for all of the support so far and I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Also, I would like to remind you all that any ideas that you have I would love for you to share them with me. You can leave them in a review or e-mail me. For those of you on the full version is posted on As always, read and review. Kagome 4Life: Ha ha ha. Don't maim your little brother too bad. I didn't realize that a lot of people didn't know that. I can't really remember where I heard it now, but I do know that next summer a new one will come out. Indiana's son will be in this one. His son will be played by the kid that is in the Transformers movie. I'm glad to be the one to share the info with you. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you're back.

InuGoddess715: I couldn't possibly bring myself to kill Myoga. He's just too lovable. I do promise that even though there will be lots of angst, I will not have any character deaths. I hope I didn't give too much away. It is getting dangerous. It will get much worse well before it gets better. If I can, this will be a thirty or so chapter story. I know where I want the story to go but I've only just made my mind up. I could change it again though. You never really know. I hope you enjoy the entirely of it. Thanks for the great review.

Inuyasha was calling Kouga a 'wolf-in-sheep's-clothing' in the last chapter. He shortened it for his own amusement. :Everyone rolls their eyes at malitiadixie:

What? I thought it was clever. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I love jealous Inuyasha myself. That's my favorite. He's just so much fun to write no matter what emotion he's feeling. I hope you continue to review. Thank you.

KP: Thank you so much for the great review. I can't wait to hear what you think about this one. I hope you give me a good one again.

Well, that's it for now.

malitiadixie


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own anything but my severely beat up car. I don't think it even drives anymore.

Chapter 8:

Translations

When the traveling party that had recently dwindled from five to four walked into the dilapidated hut, the first things that caught their eyes were many shiny swords and lots and lots of dust. So much so that the first thing Inuyasha did was sneeze. Each was wandering in their own thoughts when a scuffling sound assaulted their ears. They were all waiting with bated breath to see what the sound could possibly be, when an old man rounded the corner and limped into the room the four of them were occupying.

The old man would have been tall if it were not for the slight hump and hunch in his back. His silvery-white hair would have been shoulder length if it were not tied up at the middle of his round head. His nose was long and crooked and his eyes were on the verge of bulging from his skull. He took his time eyeing them up and down before he finally spoke.

"_Do I know you?"_

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. He knew very little Japanese and he wasn't even sure it was Japanese the man had spoken. Kagome would know more and he asked her with a look of curiosity to translate.

"He wants to know if he knows you."

"Tell him that we met about five years ago. Tell him that my brother and I were here asking about the Tetsusaiga."

Kagome did as much. She was still uncomfortable speaking to or even being around Inuyasha; but for some reason, she felt silly to know how she had been acting. She had been reflecting on this as they waited in the room for the man to make his presence known.

"_I remember you now. You and that brother of yours needed to learn some manners."_

Kagome and Miroku giggled.

"What did he say that was so funny, huh?" Inuyasha hated for people to make jokes at his expense. Somehow, he knew the old man had made such a snide comment.

"He said that he remembers you. He also said that you and your brother needed to learn some manners." At the last of her sentence, Kagome gave him a bright smile. The air had lightened around them and Kagome found that she could smile again without it seeming fake.

This was not lost on Inuyasha or the others. Kagome was smiling a genuine smile for the first time all morning. It seemed to take Inuyasha's breath away. He wasn't angry about the man's comment or the fact that Kagome found it funny. He was happy to see her smiling again. What he wouldn't give if all her smiles were for him.

Noticing that he had been gawking, Inuyasha cleared his throat and turned to glare at the old man that dared to insult him and his brother. He didn't have time to beat the old man senseless and wait for him to wake up again, so he took the high road. He rarely took such a road but figured that this was as noble a cause as any. He needed the man that stood before him in soot covered clothes to tell him where the sword was.

"Kagome, ask him why he lied when he said he didn't know where the sword was."

Kagome did but not before throwing him a sheepish smile in apology for laughing at him.

"_Did I lie?"_

"He asked, "Did I lie?" Kagome could see the red of anger seeping into Inuyasha face. His teeth clenched and his hands balled into fists. She needed to do something before Inuyasha lost his cool and maimed the only lead they had to the sword that could give her back a normal life.

"Inuyasha, maybe I can get him to tell us something. You know what they say: you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

Inuyasha looked at her from the corner of his eyes and nodded slightly. Kagome stepped forward to announce that she was the one he would be speaking to from now on. She was telling him that what came from her lips would be her thoughts and no one else's.

"_You are a very talented sword maker. Your work is beautiful. I don't think we've been formally introduced. My name is Higarashi Kagome."_

Kagome gave a curt bow and waited for him to respond.

Behind Kagome and Inuyasha stood Miroku and Sango. They weren't really participating in the conversation. Sango had been on guard since the comment that was made about manners. She figured Inuyasha would have flown off the handle at the aged and weathered man. She figured wrong. Now, Miroku was translating for Kagome and the man.

"Kagome's trying to butter him up. Old men will give you anything if you complement them."

Sango giggled. "I had no idea Kagome was so wily."

"You would be surprised. Though Kagome doesn't like to get close to anyone, she is an excellent judge of character. I suppose that's why she's such a good lawyer. She has this strange ability to know exactly how to talk to someone to make them divulge more than they ever wanted anyone to know. I have no idea how she does it but you don't want her to target you. If she starts talking to you and suddenly you start to tell her stuff that you couldn't even tell your best friend, run."

Sango smiled but decided she would heed the warning. If Kagome cornered her and started asking questions about Inuyasha, she would run as if the devil were on her heals.

"Consider me warned. So what's going on now?" Sango wanted to know how good Kagome really was.

"_My name is Totosai. May I ask why you are traveling with such a barbarian?"_

Totosai narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha and Kagome grinned again. But instead of mirth, there was warmness to her eyes.

"_I'm traveling with him because we have a common goal. I would like to go back home and Inuyasha is looking for something that will allow me to return there. That's the reason we're here."_

"_If I didn't tell him anything of the sword the first time, why would I do that now?"_

"_You and I had a mutual acquaintance. I was the lawyer for Kaede Sato."_

"_Was…?"_

"_Yes, she passed away about a week ago. Were you two very close?"_

"_Not really. She and I had a similar love for antique swords. She would come here to visit with me often and talk of such things."_

"_Well, I wanted to ask you about the Tetsusaiga. Kaede told us to 'seek the maker' in her will. Seeing as how you're the only one that could possibly apply to, I was wondering if we could get that information now. Do you have it here or is it somewhere else?"_

"_Is what somewhere else?"_

Kagome's brows knitted together. She looked back to see the same expression on Miroku's face. She knew she couldn't have misheard if Miroku had heard the same thing. She was wondering if her American accent was throwing him off, or if she was confused by his Chinese accent. She cleared her throat and tried to figure out what was going on.

"_The Tetsusaiga of course. The sword Inuyasha is looking for."_

"_Who?"_

Kagome's eyes widened. Could he possibly have said that? The more important question was could he have possibly forgotten in only a matter of a half a minute. She looked at Inuyasha and he sent her a look that said, 'what is going on'. She looked back at Miroku for support once more and found that he was at a loss for word as much as she was. Kagome looked at Inuyasha and decided to explain.

"I think he has no short term memory. Either that or he's playing coy."

Inuyasha looked confused. "What do you mean? What did he say?"

Kagome sighed. "After I mentioned the Tetsusaiga, I asked him if it was here or somewhere else. He said, 'is what somewhere else'. Then when I reminded him that I was talking about the sword 'Inuyasha' was looking for, he said, 'who'.

"Feh; the old man is trying to spin you in circles. Maybe I should jog his memory." Inuyasha proceed to make a show of cracking his knuckles and pushing up his dress shirt sleeves. Kagome glanced at Totosai and saw him gulp and lose some of his resolve. So he **was** just trying to frustrate her and throw them off the trail. She'd get the truth out of him if it was the last thing she did.

Kagome walked up to Inuyasha and placed her hand on his forearm. At the contact, he quickly moved his head to look at her with wide eyes. This was the closest she'd been to him since waking. She seemed as if she was comfortable again being close to him. He felt an odd sense of peace come over him, and he gave her the approval to try again.

Kagome stared down Totosai who was now looking like he would rather slink away than face her.

"_I know what you're trying to do. You have every reason to be afraid to share what you know with us. However, we are not the people you should be worrying about. There are men who are after me because of what I know of the sword. That's another reason I choose to travel with 'the barbarian', as you so eloquently call him. He is protecting me from them. You need to tell us now what you know. The sooner we find that sword, the safer we will all be. If you tell us, I'll make sure Inuyasha sends you someone to keep you safe from harm. Now, where is the Tetsusaiga?"_

Totosai took a deep breath and looked Kagome square in the eyes.

"_Who are you?"_

That did it. Before Totosai could even bat an eyelash, Kagome was on him like white on rice. She couldn't take anymore his the blatant stupidness. She launched herself at him with every intention of shaking it out of him.

"_You crotchety old man; where is the sword!!!"_

Before she could reach him, a pair of strong arms circled around her and pulled her back into a well defined chest. She knew who it was without even looking. Inuyasha snatched her in mid air and dragged her back. He could hear someone talking, but couldn't really figure out who the voice belonged to. Had someone new walked into the room? When he was sure that Kagome was going nowhere as she pushed against him with a new fever at the sound of the new voice, he realized who it belonged to.

"I'll tell you where it is; just keep her away from me. Don't you dare let her go or I won't tell you a thing."

Sango rushed forward. "You speak English?" What in the world was going on? What had he said to make Kagome act like a vicious lioness?

"Yes. Just keep that girl away from me." Totosai turned his attention back to the spitfire of a tiny woman. She had stopped struggling but Inuyasha still held a firm hold on her, for fear that the old man would decide to keep the information to himself as he promised he would do if Inuyasha were to let go of Kagome.

As Inuyasha watched Sango try to coax Totosai off the ground where he had sprawled out after the near death experience he'd had, he wondered what the old man said had that made Kagome act so violently. He had never seen her have an aggressive cough let alone try to maul someone. What had gotten into her?

"Kagome."

"Yes?" She replied in a tiny voice.

"What did he say to you?"

"Nothing as bad as it seemed I'm sure."

"Well?"

Kagome sighed and looked to the floor. She knew it was silly to have such a reaction, but she couldn't help it. The man made her furious! She decided to indulge Inuyasha with the truth and hoped he wouldn't insult her for flying into hysterics.

"After that big long speech I made, I thought I had him. Then he asked me who I was." 'Who I was' came out as more of a growl than anything else. After a few seconds, Inuyasha starting snickering. Kagome looked over her right shoulder and shot him a look that expressed, in the most sincere way, that if he didn't stop laughing, she would make him regret it.

Inuyasha smothered his chuckles and settled on just a grin. "It don't matter why you did it I suppose. In any case, it got him talking." He burst out with another round of snickers.

"What!" Kagome growled.

Inuyasha turned his gaze from Sango, who was getting Totosai a glass of water and looked down upon the tiny woman in his arms. He would never tell her, but he was glad that he needed to keep hold of her. If he riled her up enough, maybe he would have to hold her tighter.

"You should have seen the look on his face. He thought you were gonna rip his heart out."

"I could have if you hadn't grabbed me", came Kagome's disgruntled reply.

Inuyasha grinned down at her and she finally matched his grin with one of her own.

"Okay old man, start talking." Inuyasha wanted to make sure that Totosai was going to keep good on his end of the bargain. "Where is the Tetsusaiga?"

Totosai stifled a sigh and looked up at Inuyasha from the chair on which he was sitting. Even though Kagome was a good ten feet away and in the arms of a rather muscular man, he didn't put it past her to struggle her way loose from those arms to wrap her hands around his throat. After making sure she was calm, Totosai answered.

"New Orleans."

"WHAT!!!" screeched the four travelers. Kagome's started squirming and kicking Inuyasha hoping that she would hit some vital part and make Inuyasha let her go. She so badly wanted to hold Totosai's head under water until there were no more bubbles.

"I've been cornered in an alley and threatened, ripped from my life, had my house torn apart and made to sleep in a room with a man I had only know for a few hours. Now you're telling me I have to go to America! What in the seven hells is the sword doing there!" Kagome wasn't really sure what was wrong with her. She had never been this angry before. Maybe it was the stress. That was it. The stress was causing her to behave very much as a crazed psycho would. That and the fact that the man that she had been aching for and trying to avoid at the same time had stolen her first kiss only hours ago. She couldn't think straight. There were so many thoughts running through her head that she was bound to explode sooner or later.

When Inuyasha found that Kagome wasn't giving up this time, he dragged her off with the intent of getting her outside. Maybe he could calm her down out there. Before he shut the door behind the two of them, he called his last orders to Miroku and Sango.

"Miroku, get the story. Sango, see if you can get us a flight out of here."

The two nodded and started doing as he asked. Inuyasha finally got the door shut.

Miroku turned to Totosai after he heard the audible click of the door Inuyasha and Kagome had just departed through. "Well, let's have it. What is the Tetsusaiga doing in New Orleans?"

"Just try to keep an open mind. I know how you young kids are when it comes to believing things that are out of the realm of normal."

Miroku gave a soft smile and nodded for him to continue.

"Well, I had the sword with me until a month or so ago. Until then I had no problems with it. One day, all that changed. I woke up one morning and decided to polish the Tetsusaiga. I opened the case I kept it in and found that it was gone. I found it only minutes later about ten feet away. But the next morning I checked on it and it was gone again."

Miroku frowned. "Do you mean to tell me someone was coming in and moving the sword?"

"That's what I thought too," Totosai stated. "But, it kept happening. I would put it back when I found it, and the next morning when I looked it was gone again. Not only that, the distance between the location I put it in and the location I found it in kept growing. It was like the sword was trying to go somewhere."

"Well, that explains why you sent it somewhere else, but it doesn't explain why you sent it to New Orleans."

"I'm getting there," snapped Totosai.

"A thousand apologies; I meant no disrespect. Please, continue."

Totosai narrowed his eyes, then began again.

"I couldn't figure out what to do so I called a friend to ask his opinion. He told me that it might be hoodoo magic at work."

Miroku and Sango's faces displayed confusion. "I'm afraid I don't understand. I've heard of Voodoo, but never hoodoo."

"I don't suppose you would have. It's not something that most people know about because it is looked down upon in most societies. I guess the best way to explain is to begin by saying that hoodoo is a branch of Voodoo. You see, Voodoo is the religion and hoodoo is a group within that religion. Practitioners of hoodoo perform spells and hexes. It can be very powerful magic."

"Ah, I understand. The sword was bewitched with hoodoo magic so you sent it to someone who knew of such ways to counteract that magic."

Totosai nodded. "Precisely."

"I wonder who would have put a hex on the sword."

Totosai looked at the floor as if he were actually looking through it, instead of at it.

"They didn't really put a hex on it, per se. It was more a spell with malicious intent. There are lots of spells in the hoodoo cultus that are meant to achieve goals and get what one wants. Those are not really 'bad' spells. This person made it into a 'bad' spell by trying to achieve and receive something that does not belong to them. I found a woman who lived in America who would take the sword and keep it safe from the one who is trying to find it. After what that vicious Kagome woman said about Inuyasha keeping her safe from someone trying to get information from her, I have no doubt that the parties involved in the two attacks are one in the same."

"I have no doubt as well," said Miroku. "By the way, Kagome doesn't act like this all the time. The stress is getting to her. It's not every day you get swept away on some adventure that has you risking your life. She didn't even want to come, but we finally convinced her that it was the safest choice."

"I suppose I should forgive her. I did antagonize her."

Miroku and Sango chuckled. "Yes, you did. I've never seen her so angry."

"Anyway, I guess you'll need the name and location of the one looking after the sword from me."

Sango scooted closer to Totosai. "Yes, we will need it. I'm very glad you are giving us the information we need. Mrs. Sato wanted Myoga's museum to have the sword. She left everything in her will to his museum."

"Then she left them the Tetsusaiga as well. While my family did make the sword, it belonged to her. That's how we met. She did some research on the sword and found me. She had lots of questions to ask, and I was only too happy to answer them so I could look on one of the swords that made my family famous. I haven't even seen the Tenseiga."

"Well," started Sango. "I suppose when we get back to America I can have a little talk with Sesshoumaru and see if he'll make the trip to let you see it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind too much since you're giving us all the information we need."

"That would be nice." Totosai smiled at Sango. "Anywho, I'm supposed to be telling you where to go. The woman who has the sword is named Jacqueline. She is Haitian. She lives at this address."

Totosai scribbled down the location on a sheet of paper Sango had provided for him. She took it from him when he held it out to her and placed it in her back pocket.

"If you don't mind, could we stay a few more minutes? I need to make a few calls and I want to give Inuyasha enough time to calm Kagome down before we leave."

"No problem. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes please."

Miroku also said yes to the offer, and Sango started with the many calls she needed to make.

------------------------------

Kagome was still kicking and squirming five minutes after Inuyasha had pulled her outside. He was starting to worry that she might get lucky and hit him in a place that was reserved for tender caresses only. So, he did the only thing he could think of.

Starting with her back against his chest, Inuyasha crouched down and grabbed Kagome around her ribs with his left hand, and under her left knee with his right. As gently and as intimately as he could, he forced her against the rough wood of the building they had been in only minutes before.

Kagome gasped and immediately stopped moving. With her breath held, she realized the position Inuyasha had her in.

His left arm was now holding her hands well above her head and his other was still underneath her left knee. Inuyasha had picked her up so high, Kagome legs were wrapped around his chest and she was nose to nose with a very livid yet yummy man.

Kagome's momentarily startled eyes closed and she took in a few deep breaths to calm herself. It was hard to redirect her thoughts and make her body stop wanting to move in a wanton fashion. After a few moments of futilely trying to do these things, she realized that her breathing exercises were not working in the slightest. For one thing, she was breathing in Inuyasha's intoxicating scent. 'This is not good' thought Kagome.

She had to get out. She had to get away from him. The only thing that would keep her from kissing him again was to get some distance between her and the man that had occupied her dreams the night before. Kagome's fight or flight instincts kicked in and since she couldn't run just yet, she fought.

Bucking her hips away from the wall was the only thing she could do, so she did it without even thinking of the consequences.

Inuyasha was having just as difficult a time as Kagome was. She was so close now. All he had to do was lean forward and let his lips find hers. She had closed her eyes after a few seconds, and he could see her willing her body to calm down. For a moment it seemed that she had given up her fight. Boy, was he wrong. The first buck of her hips had him reeling as his anatomy realized that she was trying to get away, and not engage in what would have been a more preferable activity. The second time she did it he knew he had to do something before he lost all self-control.

"Damn it Kagome, stop!"

"Let me go!" Kagome continued to wrestle with her arms to try to get them free.

"Kagome, you have to stop!"

"Why? I'm not trying to go back in there! I just want down." She was so desperate. She needed him to let her go before she did something that she swore to herself she would never do. It wouldn't do any good for her to be more attracted to him. It would only hurt her in the end. She knew that. But, her thoughts kept running away with her. What if she were to kiss him again? Would it really be that bad? Would she really regret it? Yes. She would hate herself for the rest of her life if that were to happen. She just knew it. It was not to be. She could never let herself fall for anyone. She would always be alone because that was the only way to make sure no one ever left her again. She couldn't bear it.

Suddenly tears formed in her eyes as her fighting wound down. Her muscles ached with overuse because of the lack of oxygen she seemed to be experiencing. Kagome couldn't catch her breath. She felt faint and couldn't hold her head up any longer. Stopping her struggling because of the dizziness and tunnel vision, Kagome vaguely noticed when her back inched off of the wall it was once pressing against.

Inuyasha was about to yell once again but then he noticed Kagome's attempts seemed to lessen until they were no more. When she didn't respond to him saying her name, he got scared. It was another panic attack. Carefully, Inuyasha sat her in his lap crossways and held her head up so he could try to get her to open her eyes and respond.

"Kagome, please open your eyes."

'Whose voice is that', thought Kagome.

"Please Kagome. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you were having a panic attack. Please wake up!"

'Panic attack? Inuyasha, I am awake.' Why couldn't he hear her? Was she not speaking?

"Kagome, God it's all my fault. I was supposed to protect you, and I couldn't even protect you from myself!" Inuyasha wasn't stupid. Well, not anymore. When Miroku warned him that Kagome didn't like to be close to people, he didn't realize until now that it was literal as well. He only thought that she didn't like to let people in; didn't like to let people partake in the ways of her heart and mind. He knew now, only too late, that it was more than that. He had no doubt that if Sango had gotten that close to her, Kagome wouldn't have had a panic attack. It was because he was male and had her in a vulnerable position.

Kagome's eyelids flitted open at his voice. It was so full of remorse. In her hazy state of mind, all she wanted to do was let him know that she was fine, and that he had done nothing wrong. When her vision cleared, the tears nearly started anew.

Inuyasha's eyes were wide open, and the repentance in them was nearly tangible. Did he know the effect he had on her when he looked at her like that? Kagome could see only herself in those eyes. He wasn't thinking about the sword or the danger they faced. In those smoldering topaz eyes she could see only her face reflecting back to her.

"Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha's ragged sigh made Kagome's throat constrict.

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha voice was so small and sad, Kagome had no choice but to lift a shaky hand and place it on his cheek. He held it in place with one of his own. His eyes closed and he reveled in the feeling of her skin against his own.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Please don't be worried anymore."

Inuyasha opened his eyes to look into hers. What he saw there nearly stole his breath away. The vast pools of sapphire looked impossibly deeper. She wasn't concerned about herself; Kagome was concerned for him. 'Why?' he asked himself. She'd just had a panic attack and she was worried about him being worried about her? Nothing was making sense and he wasn't sure if it ever would.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you were just trying to get away from me. I thought you were trying to get back inside."

"I'm fine. Just, please don't be sad anymore. I'm sorry I worried you."

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one who should be sorry, and I am. I didn't realize…"

"Inuyasha, I think I can stand."

Inuyasha begrudgingly stood up, then helped Kagome to her feet and made sure she had her footing before he completely let go of her. His eyes were still downcast.

"I'll go get you some water. That always helps, doesn't it?"

Kagome grabbed his arm before he could go anywhere.

"Wait! I…"

What could she say? She had already asked him not to be sorry and that didn't work. What else could she do to make him let it go? And in all seemingly dire situations, the first thing she could think to say, she did.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Inuyasha wasn't really sure if he had heard her right. Even if she had asked the one question he didn't want her to, what was he supposed to say?

Kagome didn't really mean to ask that, but now that it was out of her mouth she really did want to know the answer.

"I…uh…that is…"

Why was it so hard to say? 'Just spit it out already!'

"I really like you, Kagome. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before I kissed you, but, this morning it just seemed like the thing to do. I'm sorry."

Kagome was shocked. What the hell was she supposed to do now? She couldn't encourage him. If she did it would only set them up to get hurt; one or both of them. And she definitely couldn't take the chance of hurting him. The thought of hurting him seemed so much worse than actually getting hurt herself. Then there was the fact that she couldn't tell him not to bother, either. If she saw that crestfallen look on his face one more time, she was sure she would give in to him. What the hell was she going to do?

"Inuyasha…I…"

"Hey Inuyasha, I got our plane booked. It leaves in about six hours. Let's get a move on so we don't miss it."

Inuyasha's head snapped up to look at Sango and Miroku who were coming out of the doorway. Those two had the worst timing ever. But Inuyasha couldn't help but think that the intrusion was a godsend. Kagome's face had an apologetic look to it, and he was sure he wasn't going to like what was about to come out of her mouth. When he snuck a glance at her, on the cab ride back to the hotel, she looked just as glad as he did. Maybe she could give him a chance if he could just convince her that he deserved one. Maybe…

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Uggg… I don't really know why this was so hard to finish. I guess I've been busy. Anyway, I'm sorry it's late. I know what you're all thinking about the hoodoo thing but I couldn't have an Inuyasha fic without at least a little bit of out-of-the-ordinary. I hope you all like the twist (if you could call it that) and appreciate what I'm trying to do. As always, please read and review.

Before anyone says anything, I do realize that stupidness isn't a real word. So sue me. It was the only word that worked right. I hope you liked this chapter. I know it seems like its one step forward and two steps back right now, but wait until you see what I have in store for Inuyasha and Kagome when they get to America. I can't wait!!!

Inu Kagome 4Life: Aww…I hope the little guys okay. How old is he anyway? I hope you like the new chappie. Let me know if you do.

White Dire Wolf: I'm soooooooo happy that you read my story. I'm very humbled to receive a great review from you. I love your fic and I'm so glad you liked mine. I know what you mean about the late nights. It's 1:20 am right now for me. I hope you got my message as to where the other version is. Just in case, here's the website.  You can look up my pen name or the fic's name. tends to delete fics with lemon or lime content. Or so I've been told. Thanks for the great review.

KP: I hope you like this chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying this so much. It really does make me happy to make you guys happy. I really do thrive off of reviews and I appreciate each and every one.


	10. Chapter 9

Congratulations to all those who won awards for the IYFG. They were all well deserved.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. If anyone knows where to buy him or his sexy brother, let me know.

Chapter 9:

In the Shadows

"Tanaka."

"What's up, bastard? I figured I'd call and let you know what that idiot sword maker said."

"Inuyasha, you are in no position to refer to someone else as an idiot. However, I would like to know what was said."

"I shouldn't tell you since you're bastardness is exceeding its usual limit."

Inuyasha could almost hear Sesshoumaru grind his teeth.

"It would be wise to say what you have to say now."

"Don't get your panties in a twist Sessh. Geez, you'd think I'd pissed in your corn flakes or something…"

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru ground out. It was getting to the breaking point. Inuyasha always tried to push his half-brother as far as he could before giving in. Sesshoumaru did it too. It was their private game. They were the only ones who liked to play. They were the only ones who knew the rules.

"Okay, already! He doesn't have the sword. It's in American."

"Excuse me."

"That's what I said. Well, maybe not in such nice words but I got my point across."

"And why is it in America?"

"You're not going to believe this."

"Humor me."

"The decrepit old fart thinks that someone's bewitched the sword with hoodoo magic. Isn't that the stupidest thing you've ever heard?"

"I've heard stupider from you. Why would the sword maker think there was a hex on the sword?"

Inuyasha spelled out the tale that was told to him by Miroku, who in turn heard it from Totosai.

"I see…," hissed Sesshoumaru. "Well, I guess that I'll be seeing you soon."

"You never know Sessh. It could be another week before I'm through in Louisiana."

Sesshoumaru scoffed. "I'll be picking you up from the airport in Charlotte. You are coming to stay at my house for a few days before you go to New Orleans."

"The hell! I'm going straight there and getting that sword. I've waited too long to find that goddamn thing, and you're not going to stop me!"

"Inuyasha, it will do you no good to argue. I'll be calling Sango as soon as we are finished and tell her to make plans to land here. I've heard some things and I would like to see about them for myself."

"What things? What the hell are you babbling about?"

Inuyasha could almost hear the smug grin swell on his hated brother's face.

"I spoke to Myoga yesterday. He had some interesting things to say about you."

"What the hell did he have to say?"

"Well, it was more about you and a certain…girl."

"Oh fuck…"

"Yes, fuck indeed."

"Sesshoumaru, you bastard, what are you planning?"

Inuyasha was about ready to crack the cell phone in his hand into a million pieces. What was going on? Was the whole world against him?

"I'm not the one planning anything. Rin was listening to the conversation, and insisted upon meeting her. She was going to see if you would make a stop here before you went anywhere else. Now there is no reason for you not to. The four of you can stay one night here before you go to Louisiana."

"Rin is trying to play match maker again, isn't she." Inuyasha sighed and gave up. It didn't make any sense to argue now. If he refused, Rin would be calling in a few minutes with tears in her voice. He would give in sooner or later. What the hell, one day wouldn't mean anything. The only thing he feared now was Rin saying something to Kagome. He could warn her when he got there, he supposed.

"All right, she wins."

"She always does, Inuyasha. Do you think I like going to chick flicks and artsy independent films? You would do well to learn that the woman you marry will always get her way. If you learn that now, you're one step ahead of the game."

"I'll keep that in mind, bastard."

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Do not mistake what I'm about to say for affection."

"Fine; say what you gotta say."

"Be careful."

"Yeah, alright."

Inuyasha let the phone fold together and sucked in a large gust of the night air. He let it out slowly and made his way back through the sliding glass doors of the hotel room.

Kagome, Miroku and Sango sat at a table in the tiny kitchen of Miroku and Sango's room. They had been playing poker before Inuyasha announced that he had to make a call to his 'bastard half-brother'. Kagome had thrown him a scowling look for his endearing name for Sesshoumaru but kept her lips tightly sealed.

She hadn't really said more than two words to him since they returned from Totosai's. The only thing she would allow herself to say was what absolutely had to be said. Things like 'I'll have three cards' or 'pass the chips please'. Inuyasha wasn't really sure if it was a good sign or a bad sign.

She could have been thinking about giving him a chance. She might have been taking her time coming up with an answer. If that were the case, maybe Inuyasha had a fighting chance.

On the other hand, she could have been avoiding him. Kagome could very well have wanted to tell him to back the fuck off this whole time and hadn't really had the heart to do it. She was so nice and sweet that it was hard for Inuyasha to not to think about the fact that she might be hoping he had forgotten about the whole thing, so she wouldn't have to even tell him her answer.

"Inuyasha, do you still want to play poker, or would you like to play another game?"

Miroku was happily shuffling the cards and didn't look up at Inuyasha while he waited for an answer.

"How about we play Bullshit?"

"What?!" Kagome squeaked.

Inuyasha chuckled at Kagome's innocent look. "You've never heard of Bullshit?"

Kagome ducked her head and looked at him from underneath her lashes. "No…"

"Well, it's about time you learned."

Inuyasha took the cards from Miroku and proceeded to deal the cards to everyone at the table. After all the cards were dealt, he looked up at Kagome and let a devilish smile curl onto his lips. Kagome blushed.

"It's all about bluffing, angel," he said with a wink.

Kagome wouldn't even look in his direction as the blush got brighter. The new pet name was going to have to stay put. He felt more confident as the game was played. She would sneak peeks at him when she thought he wasn't looking, and he would wink at her again.

'Maybe I have a chance after all.'

Even with the blatant flirting going on with Kagome and Inuyasha, Sango couldn't find the interest to pay attention. She was getting the most wonderful foot rub under the table, and couldn't help but give voice to a moan here and there. Kagome and Inuyasha never acted like they heard but they seemed to be having a delightful effect on the sexy warrior sitting next to her.

Sango would let her head loll back and let out a breathy sigh on purpose just to see him tense and lick his lips unconsciously. She wondered if he would try his perusal again later. That voiced another question.

'Would I let him pursue me? How far would I let him and his wonderful hands go?'

The four of them basked in the tranquility of the moment. They were enjoying themselves for the first time in days. Not one of them were thinking about impending doom or swords that had them running around the world. They couldn't help but relax and let their worries, asides from the sexual tension type, melt away for a while. However short lived it would be, they deserved it.

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"Kagome, do you need something to drink?"

Kagome raised her head from her cards that were pressed very tightly together so that no one could peek.

"I'll take a soda."

Inuyasha stuck his head in the refrigerator and grabbed a soda for Kagome and a beer for himself.

They played Bullshit for a while, but after about an hour or so they stopped because Kagome kept winning. Inuyasha chalked it up to beginners luck, so that his pride wouldn't sting. Now they were playing Spades.

Inuyasha sat back down and made his move. The game progressed for about thirty minutes before a light rustling noise came from Miroku and Sango's dark, conjoining room. Inuyasha's brows furrowed and he looked to Sango with a puzzled expression.

With what he could gather, the other three had heard the same noise and he saw his own look of concern reflected on each of the other's faces.

The rustling noise sounded again, only softer this time. Someone was in the other room and they were looking for something. Inuyasha made sure he had their attention and pressed his index finger to his tight lips. They nodded their understanding. He motioned for them to rise and they followed.

Inuyasha moved to his bag and pulled the firearm from the hostler. He looked at Sango. He pointed at her and then to the phone. Sango moved swiftly but silently at once. She picked up the phone and proceeded to dial from help.

It was funny how everyone played their role so well. Even without knowing Inuyasha for a long period of time, Kagome and Miroku knew exactly what to do; watch Inuyasha and do as he asked. He hadn't steered them wrong as of yet, and that was all that mattered.

Inuyasha moved to the door that was cracked open only a half an inch and motioned for Kagome to stand behind him. As she moved closer, he caught her hip with the hand that wasn't holding the gun. It wasn't entirely necessary, he supposed. However, Inuyasha needed to feel her. It wasn't enough to know that she was close to him. He had to touch her to make sure that she was where she was supposed to be.

Miroku moved to the other side of Kagome when Inuyasha cast a sharp look his way. He wouldn't interfere if he didn't have to. If Kagome or Inuyasha got in trouble though, he would do what he had to, to protect his cousin and his new friends. Inuyasha nodded when Miroku was in position, and slowly let the weight of his shoulder move the door.

In the shadows a man was standing expectantly. He didn't appear to be looking for anything. He actually looked as if he was waiting for them to enter. His face was shrouded in darkness and the only light that cascaded upon him was a slivery few strands from the moon. They only served to make the stranger appear more ominous than he should have looked.

Inuyasha leveled his gun on the unwanted visitor in hopes that the man would get the picture that he was going nowhere.

"Who are you?"

A chuckle that seemed to fill the entire room spouted from the shadowy stranger's lips. It made Kagome shiver with the implicative threat and Inuyasha tightened his hold on her hip when he felt the shockwaves coarse though her.

As sudden as a gust of wind, Inuyasha felt Kagome being pulled away from his back. He blinked and turned quickly to see what had transpired. What met his hysterical eyes was enough to make his blood run cold.

After seeing the first man, Inuyasha had been distracted enough not to peer behind the door they had just entered. The dark stranger had an accomplice who currently had a tight hold on Kagome. If it were just that, Inuyasha wouldn't hesitate to put the new stranger on his ass. What stopped him was seeing the glint of gun metal in the man's right hand. The handgun was pressed snuggly against Kagome's ribs.

Without taking his aim off the first male, he fixed his most intimidating glare on the unfortunate soul who had dared to touch Kagome. He was very proud of himself for not letting his gaze or hand quiver at the thought of Kagome being held at gun point.

"Let…Go…Of…Her…," he ground out.

"I think I might hold on to her for a little while longer." Dead Guy # 1 (Inuyasha's new name for the second stranger) decided that having Kagome at the business end of a revolver wasn't enough for him. He hitched Kagome higher with the arm across her upper chest making her stand on her toes. The gun in his right hand found the hem of her flimsy tank top and pushed it upwards. If that weren't enough to provoke Inuyasha into a rage, he slipped his nicotine glazed tongue between the yellow teeth it was trapped behind and slowly slimed it up Kagome's right cheek.

"I'll kill you if you don't let her go now," came a deadly whisper from Inuyasha.

"I think not."

Inuyasha's head whipped around to the man he had forgotten was there.

"What do you want?" Again, Inuyasha was proud of himself for keeping his voice from having a whining quality. The only thing he could think of was Kagome's sobs filling his ears. He was lucky he could hear anything else at all.

"I need some information. If you would like Miss Higarashi to remain in one piece and untouched, I suggest you give me that information post-haste Inuyasha."

"What the hell kind of information?"

The gun in his hand started to shake when he heard Kagome call his name in a half sob, half whisper. Inuyasha slowly turned his head once more. Dead Guy # 1 had Kagome's shirt all but off. He could plainly see the modest white bra that was barely containing her breasts. As if waiting for Inuyasha to turn again, the man let the hand that wasn't holding the gun under her chin to slowly slide down her cleavage. Once he reached the small shorts Kagome had put on for bed, he toyed with the waistband as if awaiting Inuyasha's next move. If Dead Guy # 2, aka creepy shadow guy, didn't get to the point soon, he was sure that his policy would turn into 'shoot first, ask questions later'.

"I want to know where that sword is, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha tightened his grip on the weapon in his hands. His palms were starting to sweat. Before he could answer the question, he heard Kagome's new plea.

"No…Inuyasha, don't…tell him," she choked out.

Inuyasha slowly turned his head in order to question her sanity. Was the woman mad? Her quality of life depended on him cooperating. Why the hell would she ask him to do something like that?

Something flashed in Inuyasha's peripheral vision. Miroku… The two strangers couldn't see him. Miroku hadn't come all the way into the room when he and Kagome had. Inuyasha had forgotten all about him. The man holding Kagome had his back to Miroku and, while from the angle he was standing, Inuyasha could see him, the weird shadow man (Dead Guy # 2) couldn't.

Inuyasha remained quiet and kept his eyes averted as Miroku snuck up behind the burly guy, being careful to use said man's bulk as a way to keep the first unwelcome visitor from seeing him. Miroku raised his hand and swiftly jabbed a thumb into his neck. The only sound that was heard was a grunt and swoosh of air. The gun fell on the carpeted floor with a thud, and Miroku pulled the guy towards himself to keep the bulk from falling on Kagome.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha felt the wind being knocked out of him as she barreled into his chest. Tears were streaming down her face and her nose was a bright scarlet color. Wrapping her arms around Inuyasha's neck, she pulled on him until her legs wrapped around his waist and her ankles locked behind his back. It was a good assumption that she wasn't letting go anytime soon.

Inuyasha vaguely heard a door behind him close and Miroku shout 'stop'. All he cared about was getting the girl in his arms to calm down. Kagome sounded close to hyperventilation and if she didn't regulate her breathing soon, she was going to have another panic attack. Inuyasha was on his way to a panic attack, as well. Every time he closed his eyes he could see that vile man with his hands on the hysterical woman in his arms.

Sango walked over and took the gun from his hand. Inuyasha let go willingly and tightened his grip on Kagome.

"Let Miroku try to get that guy. I'll stay here and watch this big oaf until the authorities arrive," came Sango's soothing voice. Inuyasha nodded and for once didn't argue with her. Sango always did know what to do in situations such as these. All that mattered to him was Kagome.

Without losing his grip on her, Inuyasha carried a still sobbing Kagome into their room and shut and locked the door behind him. He sat on the bed and tried to figure out what to do next.

'Okay, first thing to do is get Kagome to unlock her ankles' he thought. Slowly, he loosed his firm grip on her back and ran his hands down her legs in a soothing motion. She was still gasping for air, but the tears had all but stopped.

"Kagome," he whispered in her ear. "I need you to relax. Try to relax your legs for me. I have you now. I won't let anyone hurt you. You're safe now. I promise."

He thought for a second that she wasn't going to heed his words when she tensed even more. However, Inuyasha could feel her gradually letting the muscles in her legs loosen up one by one. He stood up again and tucked her calves under her thighs so she would be comfortable. After scooting to the back of the bed and resting against it, he started the harder task.

"Kagome, I need you to calm your breathing. Listen to my voice. Listen to me breathing. Try to copy it. Breath in through your nose slowly."

After what felt like forever, Kagome's breaths started to even out. He rubbed her shoulders and back in comforting circles as the death grip on his neck started to slacken. Once he was sure she was out of danger of having another panic attack, he leaned back and pushed her forward. Kagome's face came into view and all at once his throat constricted and the air hitched in his lungs.

Kagome's body might have relaxed, but her face was still painfully constricted. Her eyes were tightly shut. Now that she was no longer buried in his shoulder, he could hear her agonizing whimpers.

"Please, look at me. You're safe with me. You know that. Please Kagome, open your eyes."

She shook her head fiercely and tired to latch on to him again. Inuyasha was having none of that. He fought against her constricting limbs and captured her face between his hands that looked massive against her delicate cheeks. He swept his thumbs across her high cheek bones and begged her in a softer voice to open her eyes. Slowly they opened and twin tears ran down her cheeks. They were caught quickly by his thumbs. Her mouth parted and a ragged sigh was forced from between her teeth.

"Angel, I've got you. I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. You know that right?"

Kagome let her head bobble up and down in between Inuyasha's callused hands. She sniffled and closed her eyes without slamming them shut. Inuyasha allowed that. He closed his eyes in turn and instantly saw the image of Kagome with a gun shoved into her side; those club-like hands sliding down her skin. He shivered and shook his head to dispel the vision but try as he might, it only taunted him.

"Oh, God! I'm so sorry, angel. I should have paid more attention. I should have let you stay with Sango. I'm sorry." The apologies were rasped out and his head shook more and more violently. The image wouldn't go away. It just latched on tighter and burrowed deeper into his brain.

"I'm okay, Inuyasha. You protected me. Don't blame yourself. I don't blame you."

Inuyasha only gathered her up and held her tighter. Her choked words only made him realize even more what could have happened. She could have been raped or worse if Miroku hadn't been there.

"But I didn't protect you! He could have…I don't know what I would have done if he had…oh, God." He could feel the panic gripping him. Everything turned out semi-okay this time, but what if there was a next time. Could he really trust himself to keep her out of danger now?

Kagome tried to stifle another sob, but somehow it made its way out of her constricted throat. She wasn't upset anymore about what had happened only twenty minutes ago. It just scared her for a moment. She simply couldn't listen to Inuyasha beat himself up like this anymore. He sounded so resigned. The struggling quality of his words made her heart break for him. He sounded as if he had given up. She couldn't let him do that. He was her hero. Heroes weren't supposed to give up. Heroes were supposed to be brave in the face of danger and overcome all odds. She wasn't going to let something like this break him. Somehow the comforted was going to become the comforter.

Inuyasha was holding on so tight, it was almost impossible to get him to release the grip he had on her. Once she had managed it, she cupped his face in her hands as he had done for her.

"Inuyasha, will you still be my hero? Don't let something like this stop you."

Inuyasha opened his raw, gritty eyes to look at her. He was shocked at what he saw. Gentleness and kindness were swimming in those deep blue depths. After a few seconds he could see absolute resolve and unwavering confidence. He nodded.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. It won't happen again. I won't let anyone touch you again."

Kagome smiled. "It's okay, Inuyasha; I'm okay. I'm still in one piece and no worse for the ware. You did a good job. You protected me."

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. He didn't believe that it wasn't his fault, but he was sure that she wasn't going to give up, so in the interest of letting it go like she seemed to want, he gave in first. He gathered her up again and sunk into the bed they were sitting on. He was afraid that Kagome would climb from his arms the first chance she got, but much to his relief, she didn't. She seemed content to stay in his arms as much as he was to have her embrace. They both needed reassurance and this was the best they had to offer each other. It was no use to fight the invisible force that seemed to be keeping their limbs tangled, so they both went with it.

Inuyasha reach over and shut off the lamp beside the bed they were sharing. After such a long day, this was the best way to end it, he supposed. Lying in comfortable silence with the woman that had somehow stolen his heart in a matter of days. Kagome couldn't remember the last time she was so content. It scared her in so many ways. Foremost was the closeness, but that was not the point. Inuyasha needed to know that she still felt safe with him. If this was the only way to show him, then it was what had to be done.

As they drifted off to sleep, they each gave of themselves in that moment. A part of themselves that they would never get back.

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I know it's short, but it seemed like a good stopping point. I love to write long chapters but sometimes it's not in the cards.

I would like to thank those of you who have consistently reviewed. I love you and apperceive it more than you will ever know. You know who you are. However, reviews fan the fire of my creativity. I write faster because of them. I am a people pleaser through and through. If you let me, I will try my best to give you a great story for the simple fact that I love nothing more than to make people happy. If there are some of you out there that like my writing and want more, faster; let me know. Even if it's only 'great chapter' or 'update soon' or 'man you suck', I would love to hear it. Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. I laughed the whole time I wrote it picturing the look on everyone else's face when she tried to kill him. Thanks for the review.

LoVe23: I hope you got my message before but just in case, thanks for the tip. I do remember now seeing broken URL but didn't think anything about. So, here it is again.

http ://www . mediaminer . org/fanfic/ viewst.php /143408/

This is the 'unclean version' for all those on Glad to hear you're still enjoying it. Thanks for the review. I'm glad I conveyed the 'funniness' well enough in the last chapter. I was afraid that everyone would take it too serious. I'm also glad you like the way Inuyasha is portrayed. I know he's a little OOC (well, a lot) but I have seen so many fics where Kagome peruses Inuyasha. I want Inu to have a little bit of back bone for once. Anywho, I hope you like this chapter. It was fun to write.

Inu Kagome 4Life: I'm love having a #1 fan. It makes me feel all fuzzy inside. I'm glad you liked it. I know it seems like Kagome's the one making all the mistakes now, but just you wait. I can't have it all one sided now can I. Hope to hear from you soon on how you like this chapter.


	11. Chapter 10

I wanted to issue a challenge. I have come to hate the name of this story. It just doesn't have enough catch to it. I would love to hear some suggestions. If I end up changing it, I will give who ever it came from full recognition and my eternal gratitude.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I do, however, own…well…nothing as cool as that. :whimpers:

Chapter 10:

In the Light of Day

Opening his sleep filled eyes, Inuyasha caught the first rays of light filtering into the modest hotel room. Once his pupils adjusted to the bright sun, he thought about the dream he had just woken from.

The last few nights had brought him some dreams that could only be described as wet. This dream however, was vastly different.

He and Kagome were walking hand in hand on the beach. The moon was reflected in the dark, mysterious ocean. Thousands of stars twinkled in the night sky. Kagome had been talking to him, but he couldn't remember the conversation. He knew it was important but he couldn't for the life of him remember what was said. It was that way with dreams, he supposed. Some things, like the soft blue highlights in Kagome's long, silky hair, he could still see when he closed his eyes. But other things remained buried as soon as the morning dawned. He was still trying to dig out those concealed words when a dainty hand wound its way around his chest.

Inuyasha smiled. Here he was thinking about a dream when he had the real thing lying right next to him. What the hell was wrong with him?

Inuyasha turned so he could face the beautiful angel smothered in the covers. Kagome's eyes darted back and forth under her lids. Whatever the dream was, it was good. She had a tiny smile on her face; the kind that only turned the corners of her lips up in a small degree. If he didn't look close enough, he could've missed it completely. Inuyasha had watched her for the last few mornings while she slept. Sometimes she would smile in her dreams and others…well…

Inuyasha sighed. He knew about her fear of letting people down. But, this had to be bigger than that. One morning while he was watching her, she had a dream that appeared to be the pinnacle of a nightmare. She was sweating and whimpering. It took everything in him not to shake her and demand that she tell him everything. He didn't know why, but he knew it wasn't a nightmare so much as it was a memory. Memories were funny that way. A memory couldn't hurt you psychically. They couldn't do you bodily harm. However, they could cut deep; so deep that it couldn't be seen on the outside. They cut to the core. He knew that. Everyone knew that. But there were only a few people who knew how it felt. Somehow, Inuyasha knew that these nightmares, memories, had nothing to do with the story she had told him about her grandfather and his harsh words and actions. This was something big. It was big enough for Kagome to keep Inuyasha at arms length, possibly even further. What could have happened to her that she felt the need to close herself up from anyone who would want to care about her?

He needed to think. There had to be someway to get her to listen to reason.

Inuyasha silently slipped out from under the thick, black comforter and made his way into the tiny kitchen. Being as quiet as humanly possible, he made himself a cup of coffee and padded over to the door separating his room from Miroku and Sango's. He still needed to find out what had happened.

After he had taken Kagome back to their room, he had heard strange sounds coming from the other side of the wall. There were many voices. Sometimes he could make out Sango and Miroku's voices but he never could hear what was said. Maybe they were awake so he could get some answers. Willing away the nausea that came with thinking about what happened the night before, Inuyasha softly knocked on the door.

Sango opened it only a few seconds later. She looked as if she hadn't slept all night. That was most likely the case, but he needed to know what was going on.

"So, what happened?"

"Well, I guess I should start after you and Kagome made your getaway."

"That would be the best place to start, don't you think?"

Sango threw a scowl his way but didn't comment. She knew he was just trying to get her riled up. Most of the time it worked, but she was just too tired to play games. She motioned him over to the table and sipped her coffee while he made himself comfortable.

"After you left, Miroku took off after the creepy guy."

"Yeah, I know that. Did he catch him?"

Sango sighed. "No, the ass got away."

"Fuck," mumbled Inuyasha. That would have been just too easy. "So…"

"So, then the cops got here and we didn't tell them the real story. We figured it was better that way. If we would have told them what really happened, it would have been in the papers in a few days and that guy would be one of many that would come after us. I told them that we caught the guys trying to steal from our room. I also told them that the guy held _me_ at gun point. I didn't want Kagome to have to answer a bunch of questions only minutes after the whole thing had happened. Anyway, they arrested him and they're still looking for the other guy."

They shared a moment of silence. After Sango got up and made them more coffee, Inuyasha finally noticed something was missing.

"Hey, where's Miroku?"

Sango chuckled. "He did the noble thing and went in with the cops to sign an official statement so that I wouldn't have to."

"Well, that _was_ quite noble of him. Are you going to repay him?" Inuyasha's cheshire smirk could have blinded someone.

Sango narrowed her eyes in a mocking sort of way. "Why Inuyasha, a lady never kisses and tells."

The smile grew bigger. "I didn't ask about kisses, I asked about ass."

Sango chuckled and sat back down. She handed Inuyasha his coffee and took a sip of hers before she spoke again. She needed to get the wording right. She wasn't sure what was going on, but Inuyasha would find out one way or another, so she might as well tell him now.

"Well, there is no ass to speak of. But…"

"But…" Inuyasha knew that but. He quirked his eyebrow in Sango's direction.

Sango sighed wistfully. "But, I really like him. At first I thought he was just a pervert or a player. Now, I know that's really not what's going on. I don't know how to describe it. It's like a challenge, now. It's going to happen sooner or later, I suppose. It's kinda like an unspoken game. The first person to cave loses. I know that sounds silly, but it's kinda…"

"Yeah?"

"It's fun. I don't know how else to describe it."

"Well, sounds like, other than the weird sex games you've been playing, you have everything under control."

"Yes, everything's fine. How's Kagome by the way."

Inuyasha let a small smile grace his expression that didn't go unnoticed by Sango.

"She's fine now. It took a little while to calm her down, but she's fine."

"And you…"

Inuyasha stared at his coffee for a second. What was he supposed to tell her? That he doubted his ability to protect Kagome now. That was the last thing Sango needed to hear. It would only upset her that things had gotten as out of hand as they had. She would use that same bullshit that Kagome was trying to feed him. He knew it was his fault. If he had only been stronger, smarter; it shouldn't have been an issue whether Kagome was fine or not. She should always be happy and safe.

"I'm okay, too. I'll admit that I was furious, but I'm fine now."

Sango smiled.

Inuyasha pulled the phone from the pocket of the jeans he had on the night before. He wasn't in his right mind last night and as a result, he forgot to change.

"I have to call Sesshoumaru and tell him what happened."

"Yeah, could you do that somewhere else? I seriously need to get some sleep." Miroku had just walked through the doorway. He looked worse than Sango. His eyes didn't have the mischievous glint they so often wore.

"No, I can't. He'll have questions for you."

Miroku flopped down on the bed closest to him. "I've answered enough questions for a lifetime, thank you. All I want now is shut eye."

"Tough cookies."

"Tough cookies? That's a strange expression."

Inuyasha turned to Sango. "Keep him awake."

Sango rolled her eyes but complied none the less. Miroku whined at her when she grabbed an arm and pulled him from the bed.

"Don't be such a baby. It's only for a few more minutes. Get your fat ass up."

Inuyasha chuckled at the bickering pair as he waited for his half-brother to answer his phone.

"Tanaka."

"Hey Sessh, want to hear a really great story?"

"Unless it involves you being decapitated, I'd rather eat bugs."

"You know, they say that some bugs are very nutritious; full of protein."

An almost audible eye roll followed. "I can see you're not going to let this go. Speak before I change my mind."

"Once upon a time…"

"Inuyasha…" It was the end of the game. He won. With a smirk, he started to tell the facts.

"Okay…, man you're no fun. Last night someone broke into Sango and Miroku's room. We were all in mine and Kagome's room at the time. I went in and there was a man waiting for me. I didn't get a good look at his face so don't ask me."

"Go on…"

Inuyasha sighed and took a deep breath. He knew what was coming. Sesshoumaru would question his ability to protect Kagome even more that he, himself had. 'Might as well get this over with and face the music.'

"I didn't notice when I walked in that there was a guy behind the door. I guess I was a little distracted by the first guy. He was just so creepy. Anyway, the guy snatched up Kagome and held a gun to her."

Inuyasha waited for the reprimand, but it never came.

"Is that all? Did the men just disappear or is there more?"

'Well that's different,' he thought.

"Okay," he answered with a little skepticism in his voice, "no, they didn't disappear. The creepy guy told me that if I didn't tell him where the sword was that he was going to shoot Kagome. I didn't get to tell him anything because Miroku came to the rescue and did some kind of 'Vulcan Death Grip' or something. The guy went out like a light. Before I could go after the creepy guy, Kagome ran into my arms and I couldn't get her to calm down."

Inuyasha could feel his anger rising again. He closed his eyes and the images came once more. Only this time, he could see what could have happened. The man forcefully striping Kagome, putting a hand over her mouth, her terrified screams…

Before he could realize what was going on, he was up and throwing the chair he was sitting in across the room and into the wall. Pacing back and forth, willing the visions away, he could just barely make out the voice of his brother.

"He didn't just point a gun at her, did he?"

"No! That fucking bastard put his hands on her! I should have cut them off! Goddamn him! I'll fucking kill him if I ever see him again!"

"Inuyasha, we'll deal with the scum later. I still need you to tell me what else happened."

Inuyasha regulated his breathing again and finally stopped pacing. He could now see the bewildered looks coming from Sango and Miroku. He could see from their faces that they were concerned for him. He didn't need their concern. It was his fault anyway. Inuyasha turned his back to stop them from looking at him. He took in a big breath of air and let it out slowly.

"The man-handler," he spat, "is in police custody but the creepy guy got away. Miroku tried to follow him, but he lost him."

"Did Miroku get a good look at him?"

Inuyasha turned to look at the person in question. He was wide awake now, due to the fact that only a few second ago, he thought he was going to have to dodge a chair.

"Did you get a look at Mr. Creepy?"

"Uh, sort of," came the bumbling response.

"Well…"

Miroku cleared his throat. "He had long, wavy, dark hair. He had these weird, reddish eyes. I'd say he was in his early thirties."

Inuyasha relayed the information to Sesshoumaru and waited for a response.

"Well, I'd say you met the mastermind last night. That sounds like the Naraku I saw a few months ago."

"What do you want to do now?" Inuyasha was never really a planner. He was more of a 'take action' sort of guy. His brother usually had a plan in this type of situation.

"I still want you to come to Raleigh. Other than the fact that Rin wants to meet this 'Kagome', it is a good place for you and the others to stay while I do some research. This guy is more dangerous than I thought."

"Okay, that sounds good. I was only planning on staying one night but we could stay a few more to give you time to figure this out. Maybe you, Sango and Shippo could work together."

"Alright, little brother, call me when you find out when you're landing."

"Will do."

------------------------------------

Sesshoumaru Tanaka closed his phone and sighed. Though he would never admit it to his half-brother, he was worried. Not that it was a bad thing to worry; he just didn't need to give Inuyasha more ammunition than he already had.

Sesshoumaru strolled across the study he had ducked into when Inuyasha had called him. As much as his wife tended to worry, he didn't need her hearing the conversations he and his brother'd had.

This situation had gone from bad to worse in a matter of days. What the hell was going on, anyway? What kind of human being threatened rape if answers weren't given? This Naraku fellow had better stay out of the picture, if he knew what was best for him. Sesshoumaru knew all too well what happened when Inuyasha fell into a rage. He had quite a few scars on his person from the days of their childhood.

A light knock on the door pulled him out of the contemplating countless ways Naraku could end up if his brother's wrath were to be called out. Without bothering for a reply, a woman strolled into the study. 'Beautiful,' he mused. Not many people could say that they were married to the most stunning woman they had ever laid eyes on. Rin was the epitome of all things good and wonderful. She wasn't very tall, but her long legs and torso seemed to go on forever. Even the modest pant suit she was wearing couldn't cover the completely sensuous curves that accented his wife's body. She had a face to match that body, too: High cheekbones; pouty lips; long, luscious hair…yes, she was perfect.

Rin giggled. "Is there something catching your eye?"

Sesshoumaru gave a lazy smirk. It was something he knew she couldn't resist. She had told him many times that his smiles were completely predatory. While that might scare the competition for business away, his wife got weak in the knees whenever his white teeth barely glinted behind his lips.

Rin licked her lips and let a corner of her mouth rise in challenge. She sauntered over to him and pulled on the front of his blazer, pushing herself to her toes, to steal a small kiss.

"You seem to be in a good mood." She had yet to let him out of her grasp.

"That's because I have good news that will put you in a good mood."

Rin looked up at him through her dark, sweeping lashes. "Oh, and what good news would that be?"

"Inuyasha has agreed to stay here for a few days before taking off to New Orleans."

"Well, that is good news. What did you say to get him to agree?" Rin toyed with his tie, trying to rid him of it as she waited for an answer.

"I told him that you were the one to make the request."

Rin giggled. "I have a wonderful brother-in-law, don't you think?"

Sesshoumaru, in the blink of an eye, clamped his hand on her very sensitive posterior and lifted Rin so that she straddled him. It had a very nice effect. It didn't matter how many times he had done the same move in the past. It seemed that over the years it affected her that much more. She had told him once that when he did it, it made her realize the sheer power in his body.

Rin sucked in a breath and let a moan slip from her lips as her head lolled back. She had a firm grip on his upper arms and knew that she was in trouble now.

"Careful Rin," he said before he placed an open mouthed kiss on her neck, "You wouldn't want me to get jealous, would you?"

"Mmmm…how about I show you why you have no need to be jealous, husband."

"Devil woman…," he murmured before setting off to their bedroom.

-------------------------------------

To put it bluntly, Inuyasha was miserable. The first flight had taken way too long in his opinion. The second flight, from L.A. to Charlotte, was just the icing on the cake. What the hell was Sango thinking? She knew how much he hated flying. Why the hell would she subject him to this unusual brand of torture? It was just as well, Inuyasha guessed. If they had stayed a night in L.A., he wouldn't have arrived in North Carolina until Friday. As it was, even with leaving at 12:00 pm on Thursday and traveling for sixteen hours, they still arrived at Charlotte-Douglas Airport by Thursday evening. It was about 6:00 pm and the sun wasn't even beginning to set.

As much as Inuyasha loved to travel to exotic lands, he had to admit that there was no place like home. There was something about the stifling humidity and the smell of thunderstorms on the horizon that called to his soul.

"Mr. Tanaka?"

Inuyasha turned to see a man dressed in a very dull suit; all black with a white linen shirt. Sesshoumaru really needed to lighten up on his staff a little.

"Yeah, that's me."

"The car is this way. Will you follow me?"

Kagome was staring out into the distance when he passed her. She seemed a million miles away. He turned to see what she was looking at. Even at an airport, if you looked into the distance, you could see green all around you. Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome once more and let a smile grace his gruff countenance.

"There's a lot more where that came from."

Kagome smiled back and nodded. Inuyasha took her elbow and led her in the same direction the driver had headed. Sango and Miroku trailed only slight behind them. Once they reached the very posh car, the driver took all of their bags and helped them into the car.

"How far away does your brother live from here," asked Miroku once he was settled in his seat.

Inuyasha snorted. "Half-brother," he corrected, "and it will take about six hours or so. We'll get there about 12:30."

Kagome sighed.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Inuyasha sensed her reluctance.

"I'm kinda hungry. Do you think that maybe we could stop or something?"

"Of course. I know a great diner around the corner. I'll call in an order for us."

Kagome smiled and Inuyasha once again basked in the knowledge that he had put that smile there. She hadn't seemed any different once she had woken that morning. He was worried that she might have some adverse affects from what happened, but she seemed like the Kagome he had met. So far, nothing was out of the ordinary. He really hoped it would stay that way. Inuyasha wasn't sure if he could endure another minute of hearing her sobs. It grated him to the core and he felt helpless because of it.

Inuyasha took a deep breath of the fresh air that breezed through the window. It was good to be home. Maybe he did need a few days to recover, after all. Kagome could use some down time as well. 'This was a good idea Rin, thanks.'

-----------------------------

Some six hours later, the car they had been riding in came to a halt in front of wrought iron gates. The driver rolled his window down and punched in the code for the gates. Kagome couldn't help but be amazed at all the land. Everything was green expect for the flecks of color that were different species of flowers.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha with very curious eyes. "Inuyasha, your brother must be very wealthy to own so much land."

"Not really. I mean, he is very rich, but it has nothing to do with all this. All this once belonged to my father. Sesshoumaru got this house and I got the one in the mountains. Besides, land here is different from land in Japan. It's getting harder to come by but you can still get large amounts for a fairly reasonable price, especially in the southern or mid-western states."

Kagome's eyes rounded. "Is your place as big as that?"

Inuyasha looked up to see the mansion come into view. He chuckled. "No, mine's a little smaller than that."

Kagome couldn't help but let her mouth drop at the site of the beautiful palace before her eyes. It was a grey stone castle-like home with three stories, and more space than she could ever imagine. All around the house were beautiful tiger lilies. Their orange-yellow color stood out drastically in front of the slate colored mansion. She couldn't wait to see the inside. This was going to be a wonderful getaway from the past week.

The car stopped once more and the driver opened the door for them to step out.

"Inuyasha!"

A tiny woman threw herself into Inuyasha's arms. He caught her and whirled her around for a moment before settling her on the paved cul-de-sac once more. They both giggled for a second and then Inuyasha turned to make the introductions.

"Rin, this is Kagome, and her cousin Miroku. Kagome and Miroku, this is my sister-in-law, Rin."

Kagome shook Rin's hand and bowed; Miroku did the same.

"Inuyasha, I'm glad you're still in one piece."

Inuyasha glanced back at the large front doors to see his half-brother strolling toward the rest of them.

"Feh, like I can be taken down so easily."

Sesshoumaru smiled a cunning smile. This did not bode well for Inuyasha.

"As I hear it, you had a little help in your last brush with danger."

Sesshoumaru's smiled faded at his brother's wide eyes. He seemed to be trying to implore him for some reason. He looked to Sango and the other male and they seemed to have the same facial expression. As he observed it, Kagome was the only one like him; apparently not in the know.

"Who helped you out Inuyasha?" Kagome was a little confused by the interaction between the brothers.

Inuyasha scowled at his brother before turning to Kagome with a fake smile on his face.

"He's just talking about that guy fainting. It helped the situation turn in our favor. You remember, don't you?"

Kagome smiled back with a little hesitance. She knew something was going on, but she didn't bother to comment. If it was important, they would tell her.

"That's right. That was very lucky for us."

Inuyasha gave a curt nod.

"Well," said Rin, breaking the tension. "If you guys will follow me, I'll show you to your rooms. I'm sure you're all very tired."

Sango smiled. "You have no idea Rin. By the way, it's good to see you again. I think the last time I saw you and Sessh was Christmas."

"Yes it was. By the way, don't get too comfortable. Tomorrow we are going shopping. I can't let my favorite shopping buddy come see me without taking a trip into town to do some damage."

Sango and Rin laughed as they all made their way into Sesshoumaru and Rin's home. Sesshoumaru shot Inuyasha a look that meant that he had not forgotten the little lie Inuyasha had told Kagome. He wanted to know what was going on and, by God, he was going to get answers. Sesshoumaru hated not knowing even the smallest aspects of anything. Inuyasha answered with a look of his own, he would tell his brother all about it at a later time. With a satisfied nod, they, too, walked towards the house.

------------------------------

Inuyasha was pacing in one of Sesshoumaru's studies. With the new development in the chase for the sword, he wasn't going to be back to work for maybe another week. He hated calling in to work but there was nothing he could do about that. No one else could be trusted to retrieve the sword. Not to mention that fact that he still had Kagome to worry about. It seemed that this Naraku character had targeted Kagome. It made sense. Kagome was the only one that couldn't properly defend herself. Naraku also knew from the other night that if he was going to get to Inuyasha or the others, Kagome being in danger was the angle to play. Silently cursing the bastard that had caused all this trouble, he heard a woman's voice answer the phone.

"Hello, this is Dean Williams."

"Hi, Dean Williams, this is Professor Tanaka."

"Oh hello, Inuyasha. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm sorry that this is not a social call. I wanted to call you and tell you that I've had an emergency that I need to tend to. I may be gone for another week. I hope that it doesn't put you into a bind."

"Don't worry about that Inuyasha. I'll take care of it. I do hope everything is okay."

"It will be. Thanks Dean Williams. I'll call you and let you know if I need more time or if I can come in before the week is up."

"Take all the time you need. Call me if I can help in any way."

"I will, thank you."

Inuyasha closed his cell and thanked God that he had such an understanding boss. If only all the aspects of his life were that easy. Off the tip of his tongue, Kagome was one problem that came to mind. If he could only get her to see that he truly did care for her. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he was falling in love with her, if he wasn't already there.

Inuyasha sighed and went back to his bedroom. Rin had put Kagome and him in conjoining rooms. He felt safer knowing that she was only a closed door away, and the look on her face when Rin had led them to the rooms said that she was in agreement.

Inuyasha lay down on the queen sized bed. Before he let sleep take him, he pondered ways to convince a certain entrancing woman to see how much he cared for her.

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I know that this seems like a filler chapter, but there were certain things that needed to happen. I hope that my little explanation helped with the questions I have been getting.

Reviews add fuel to my writing. I hope you like it but I won't know unless you tell me. Thanks to those who continue to consistently review. I hope this chapter sheds a little light on your pondering. Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're still enjoying it.

Inu Kagome 4Life: I love the game 'Bullshit'. I couldn't help but put it in my story. As for the sleeping question, they did fall asleep. I guess I didn't really make it clear in the last chapter but this one should clear it up. Sorry about that. Thank for the review. I always love to hear from my #1 fan.

jflorea: All in due time. The secret Kagome is hiding will play nicely into the plot later. She is very afraid at this point for both of them. As time passes you will see her come into revelations that make her life a little harder and a little easier. Also, I think anyone would be distracted by a weird guy standing like he was expecting you in a dark hotel room. That gave me the creeps just writing. I had to teach our little Inu a lesson. I'm glad my story has grown on you. I hope more people will start liking it in the future. As I have said before, this is the first thing I've written since Junior High. I need to shake the cobwebs off. Hopefully the writing will get better and better. Thank you for the review and I hope to hear from you again. I'm glad you liked the cottony fluff. I though it was a bit much but everyone seems to like it. Kagome will eventually open up to Inuyasha. She just needs a little nudge in the right direction. You're welcome for that chapter and I hope you like this one too.

coykoi: They are progressing slowly but surely. I plan on this being a thirty or so chapter story so it will be a while but we will get there. Thank for the review and I hope you continue to do so.

LoVe23: Yes it was scary. I was kind of hard to write in all honesty. When I write scenes with high emotion, I tend to get carried away and let myself feel all the emotions the characters are feeling. It makes for good writing but its hell when I want to get some sleep and still feel the emotions. Oh well, if it makes my story more believable, it's worth it. I think I fixed the problem with the web address. If I didn't, let me know. Thanks!

Paint The Sky Grey: I still, for the life of me, can't figure out why you're jealous. If you want to see real writers, try Resmiranda or fallenangel7583. These two and many others inspire me to write. Thank you for the very, very kind words and thank you for the review.


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Am I a Japanese genius; no. I'm an American with a thick southern accent.

Chapter 11:

Questions and Answers

Kagome hadn't slept a wink. The whole night she stared at the high ceiling of her room. Why was it that she felt so lonely?

It had to be because she was thousands of miles away from home. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that for the last few nights, she had either slept in the same room as Inuyasha, or had slept in his arms. No, she was just homesick. It was a perfectly acceptable answer in Kagome's opinion.

Sighing for the hundredth time that night, she looked over at the illuminated alarm clock and saw that it was 5:00 am. She let her mind drift where it wanted to go, so that maybe it would fine a contented spot and stop wandering long enough to let her rest. Once again, as it had many times that sleepless night, her mind stopped at Inuyasha.

'He said that he liked me.' There were a few men throughout her life that had told her the same thing. Inuyasha's proclamation was different somehow. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was different nonetheless. Maybe she was reading too much into it. Maybe it wasn't any one thing he said; it was a combination of things he had said. He hadn't just told her he liked her, he had also told her that he would protect her. Somehow, Kagome knew that it was a solemn promise that he had made with every fiber of his being.

It also unnerved Kagome that she was so at ease around Inuyasha. It seemed as if he knew exactly what to say and do around her so that she felt safe, protected,…lo…

'No, no, no!' Kagome shook her head violently as she castigated herself. This was not happening. How could she be so stupid as to let herself think these things? She was Kagome Higurashi! She didn't let people close to herself and she certainly didn't love anyone other than her family. Love for any other person was dangerous. It could cause so many unwelcome emotions. Kagome was not willing to risk further damage to herself or anyone else for that matter. That was all that could come from loving someone. Being in love hardly ever panned out.

But…sometimes it did. Her parents were in love. As were her Gram and Gramps until her Gram died before she was born. Sometimes, when Kagome was imaging what she wanted her life to be like, she felt a small ache. That ache had become so much stronger over the last few days. Being around Inuyasha made her wonder what she would miss out on because she had chosen a life of solitude. Sometimes, when she closed her eyes, she could see a house in the country. When her mind took her into the house, there was a loving man and a few children waiting to welcome her.

Was it worth it? What if that man suddenly stopped loving her? What if he decided to leave her? What if something happened to them? What if she hurt them herself? Could she survive this time around? Could she go on living if any of these things happened?

There were so many questions that ran through her mind every time she let herself think about Inuyasha. Maybe, she did 'like' him in return. Yes, that was a safe answer; maybe. Maybe, she and Inuyasha could have something together. Maybe they could fall in love some day. Maybe they could get married. Maybe they would have children and a house in the country. Maybe they could live happily ever after.

Maybe those things would happen, but it's not like she would ever let Inuyasha know that. The awful things that could happen would never allow those good thoughts to stay in Kagome's head long enough. Usually, they swept in five seconds after Kagome started to think that there might be a chance for her to have happiness. She wanted so badly to know that everything would turn out alright in the end.

However, Kagome knew from experience that nothing turned out quite the way you wanted it to. Kagome was sure that her parents wanted to live to see their children grow up. Did that happen? No! Kagome knew that she wanted her Gramps to always look at her with pride; well, that didn't happen either.

Kagome sighed again. This was getting her nowhere. It was 5:30 am now. Even though she had been thinking all night, Kagome was nowhere near close to an answer to her problem. Trying to sleep was as useless as trying to live a long life without breathing. Kagome began to wonder if Inuyasha was awake. If he wasn't, maybe she could slip in and lay down next to him. She stopped lying to herself. She wasn't sleeping because, as close as he was to her, Inuyasha wasn't anywhere near close enough.

If he awoke before she did, she could always lie and say that sometimes she would sleep walk. Maybe she could tell him that she was sleepwalking and must have thought she had slipped into bed with Miroku. It wasn't a complete lie. She did sleepwalk and more often than not, she ended up snuggling up with her cousin.

Decision made, Kagome got up and padded into the next room. Being as quite as possible, she opened her own door and found the one next to it. The hinges squeaked but not loud enough to wake anyone.

She could see him on the bed. He looked like he hadn't slept that great himself. His eyebrows were furrowed and his breath was ragged. Inuyasha looked as if he had tossed and turned all night.

Kagome, just as silently as she had walked in, crept over to his bed and lifted the sheets to let herself under them. She held her breath when Inuyasha rolled toward her, but let it out when he wound an arm around her middle and his breathing evened out.

Kagome could feel her eyes drooping as soon as she became comfortable. This was getting to be serious. She couldn't even sleep without him, now. How bad would this get before she could bring herself to end it.

Kagome sighed.

--------------------------------

Inuyasha woke up with the vague realization that his arms were wrapped tightly around something. It was warm and soft so naturally, in his sleep induced haze, he burrowed closer into it. The warm soft 'thing' responded in turn with burrowing back.

Inuyasha lay there for a few more moments before he realized what was really going on. There was a body next to his. 'Who the hell is in my bed?' He scooted back so he could look at the person's face. To his shock, it was Kagome.

He had never seen anything so beautiful. Her hair was tousled in a way that was endearing to no end. Kagome's lips were slightly parted letting soft breaths in and out. A small smile wound around the corners of her mouth. Her large sleeping shirt was tangled around her neck in what appeared to be a very uncomfortable way. Did he dare question why this angel was in his bed? Well that was a simple question, and the answer is yes.

Inuyasha couldn't just let this slide. What was she doing in here? She had avoided contact like the plague, and now she was slipping into bed with him. He had to know.

Inuyasha gently placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder and shook. Her eyes fluttered open and as soon as they adjusted to the light pouring into the windows, her brow's came together in an odd way. She looked like she was about to slap him. 'Maybe waking her wasn't such a good idea.'

"What are you doing?"

"I'm waking you up; what's it look like?"

"Not that. What are you doing in the bed with me?"

Inuyasha's confusion showed on his face. Kagome had a hard time placing her thoughts in order after Inuyasha's face had come into focus, but then they all came together in a rush of understanding. She needed to get her lie straight.

"You're in my bed Kagome."

Kagome looked around the room to make the act seem real. "How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?"

"No. I must have been sleepwalking. I do sometimes. Most of the time I end up on the couch or in Miroku's bed. I guess yours was the closest."

Inuyasha let his gaze penetrate her for a few moments. Kagome got more nervous as the seconds ticked by.

"You know Kagome, you're a horrible liar."

Kagome groaned and slammed her head in the pillow under her head. He caught her. What would he think of her?

"Why did you really come in here Kagome?"

Hoping against all hope, Inuyasha wanted to hear something positive.

"I ou dant eep."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pushed Kagome's shoulder to get her face out of the pillow.

"What was that again?"

Kagome's blush intensified when she looked him in the eyes, so she looked at the ceiling.

"I couldn't sleep," she mumbled closing her eyes.

On the inside, Inuyasha allowed a small celebration. On the outside, he held himself in check. Kagome was ashamed of coming into his room and sleeping next to him. He needed to act like it was no big deal so that she would continue to share closeness with him.

He shrugged and pulled her to him again. Kagome let out a small squeak but didn't fight him.

"W-what are you d-doing?"

She sounded scared. He let up on his tight hold a little but still didn't give her enough room to get up.

"I'm going back to sleep. It's still early."

"Oh…" Kagome was confused, to say the least. Why didn't he kick her out for her audacity? He should have been angry that she had snuck into his bed and didn't even consider how he would feel about it. Inuyasha seemed…happy.

Inuyasha felt the coiled muscles in her body relax, and soon felt her heartbeat even out. They both let sleep overcome them again, but both were a little uneasy as to what this turn in events meant. Neither was willing to dwell on it since the situation was more than comfortable at the moment, so they both decided to deal with the repercussions later.

-------------------------------

Inuyasha woke sometime later to find that Kagome was gone. He had to admit that he expected as much. She seemed mortified when she finally admitted why she had come into his bed in the first place. She must have woken earlier and left to save herself further embarrassment.

Inuyasha yawned and looked at the wall clock across from his bed. It was 9:00. 'Well, it's as good a time as any to get up', so he did. Getting dressed and making his way out of his room, he tried to burn the image of waking up next to his angel, Kagome, into his mind forever.

There was no guarantee that Kagome would overcome her fears of being with him, but he still held on to hope. It was all he could do at the moment.

Making his way toward the kitchen to get breakfast, he remembered that he needed to get everyone together later to figure out what was going on, so that they could all formulate a plan of action. 'This is going to be a vacation from hell,' he thought.

-----------------------------

When Kagome woke up that morning, she felt well rested. Sleeping next to Inuyasha did wonders for her. Before Inuyasha could wake up, she slipped out of the bed and made her way into her own room. She got dressed quickly and suddenly there was a sharp rap on her closed door. Kagome's brows furrowed as she thought about who might be on the other side. If it was Inuyasha, she was going to have a heart attack. She couldn't face him just yet. She still felt stupid for crawling into his bed a few hours ago.

With as much courage as she could find within herself, Kagome opened the door to find Sango and Rin dressed, ready for the day, and sporting rather large grins. Kagome let her confusion filter onto her face without even trying to hold it back. Without warning both girls grabbed an arm and pulled her out of the door and starting giggling.

"Okay, will someone tell me what's going on?"

Sango laughed outright at Kagome's reluctant tone. "We are going shopping. After what happened with Myoga, you and Miroku never got to get anything to wear. You've been wearing my clothes for the last few days and I know you have got to be getting tired of that. So, we 'borrowed' Sesshoumaru's credit card and we're taking you to get some clothes and other things."

"Wait!"

The girls abruptly stopped and turned to see what the holdup was. Kagome looked like the embodiment of nervousness.

"I don't think I'm comfortable with this," she said looking at her feet. Kagome was never one to take handouts and she sure as hell wasn't starting now.

"I have my credit card on me. I'll let you guys take me shopping but I'll buy what I need." 

Rin tossed an arm around Kagome's shoulders in a reassuring manner. "Kagome, Sesshoumaru feels bad enough as it is with all that's happened to you. He blames himself. This is the only way my husband feels he can make it up to you. Please, let him do this."

Kagome looked into Rin's face and saw that she was very serious about this. She rolled her eyes and looked at Sango to back her up. That was not going to happen considering Sango was smiling.

"Fine," she grumbled. Rin clapped her hands and squealed. "On one condition, though."

Rin let her celebration die and listened with every ounce of attention she held in her body.

"If I let Sesshoumaru do this, this is the last thing that he does. I don't want anymore gifts. I'll continue to let him pay for the travel expenses and the hospital bills, but that's all."

Rin stuck out her hand and Kagome grabbed it. They shook once with very serious looks on their faces. As soon as their hands parted, Rin and Kagome smiled at each other.

"Well, lets get this show on the road, ladies," Sango said, and they were off.

-----------------------------

After breakfast, Inuyasha found himself in his brother's study with Sesshoumaru and Miroku. Shippo was on the computer screen by way of an online video feed.

"Okay you guys, what have you found out so far?" Inuyasha sat down on a nearby leather couch with the others watching him intently. He had arrived hours after they had started, which left them with all the work.

"How very kind of you to grace us with your presence, Inuyasha."

"I had a weird morning," he said not willing to go into detail.

"Very well," sighed Sesshoumaru. "We have actually dug up a rather substantial amount of information. Shippo…"

Shippo, a very young boy who was wise beyond his years, smiled and began. "Well, the woman that the sword maker told you about is actually real. Her name is Jacqueline; that much is true. I can't find a last name though. She moved from Haiti, at ten years old, with some friends of her family's. Her family all died of an illness.

"Once in America, she apprenticed under another woman and became a mambo."

"What's a mambo?" Inuyasha, who didn't really know about any religion other than Christianity, was more than curious about Voodoo. He would be the first to admit that he had no idea that Voodoo was an actual religion, let alone so complex.

Shippo smiled. "A mambo is a woman priestess in the Voodoo community. Mostly, they perform healings and preside over ceremonies. In most religions, women are considered the weaker of the sexes. In Voodoo, women are viewed as equals. They also see homosexuals as equals that have broken no religious laws. This is a pretty unique trait as far as religions go. Anyway, I'm teaching again, aren't I?"

Sesshoumaru smiled behind his hand. Shippo always was one to take it upon himself to 'school' others. He loved it when he was in possession of knowledge and could share it with the rest of them. This was a good thing as far a Sesshoumaru was concerned. It meant that if Shippo had information, he would share it. He never feared that Shippo would keep something from him.

Shippo sighed and smiled. "Anyway, we suspect that the woman that taught her was a bokor; that is to say, a woman that practiced the art of hoodoo. If I may impart useless trivia to you all again, it is unusual to find a woman that practices hoodoo. Usually, bokor are males. I've never heard of a woman bokor, but I guess that some exist."

"So, does this Jacqueline woman use hoodoo, or does she just know how to use it in theory?" Inuyasha wanted all the information he could have. This was uncharted territory for him and he was determined to know everything possible before jumping into the situation. 'Wow, when did I start thinking like that bastard Sesshoumaru?'

He wasn't the only one who noticed. "My, my, Inuyasha, you certainly are in rare form. No, we don't know if she practices it, but I am certain that if Totosai entrusted the sword to her, she has vast knowledge of the subject. It was most likely because of who taught her that she was the one he chose. If it were me, I'd do the same thing." Shippo started to straighten up his desk as he was finishing that statement.

"Is that all we know?" That can't be it. There had to be more. Inuyasha waited for Shippo or anyone to answer.

"That's it Inuyasha. I'm sorry, but that's all I could dig up on her. She keeps herself well hidden."

"Well, what about Naraku? Surely you have something on that asshole."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "We can't find anything at all on Naraku. Well, other than what we know already. He is an infamous entity when it comes to the black market. He is after the swords. We also have deduced that he is after Kagome, because she is the weakest member of the group and because of the display that you put on the other night, Kagome is in more danger."

Inuyasha stood up and stalked his brother. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Sesshoumaru didn't back down. He returned his half-brother's stare and moved to explain. "I mean that you made it obvious that you cared for her. If you would have stayed focused on Naraku, Kagome would have been out of danger. If you would have acted like she meant nothing, then Naraku would have lost interest in her as a target. Now he'll do everything in his power to use her as leverage to get what he wants."

"And how was I supposed to do that, asshole! What if it were Rin in that situation? What if that slimly bastard had a gun to Rin's head? What if his hands were all over her?! What would you have done?!!!" Inuyasha was a millisecond away from ripping his brother's head off. He would have tired, if it weren't for the wave of nausea that always followed thinking about the position Kagome was in only a small time ago. Inuyasha backed away from Sesshoumaru and placed his hands on the desk nearby to keep his balance. Sesshoumaru's voice was only a whisper, but Inuyasha heard it as clear as day.

"If it were Rin, the man would be dead. If you want your revenge, I may be able to help with that. I'll explain later. For now, get some rest. You will need all the energy you can get for the coming days." With that, Sesshoumaru walked out of the study. Miroku said goodbye to Shippo, and closed the laptop. He walked over and put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"I am glad that I didn't see what you saw, my friend. I can't imagine what it must have looked like given your state. I would be happy if you never told me. If you do, I'll probably be in your position. Your brother is right, Inuyasha, get some rest."

Miroku left and soon, the sick feeling was gone. Once he willed himself not to think about it, the illness was gone. It was a mind over matter kind of thing. After the nausea was gone, Inuyasha left to go to his room. On the way there, he wondered what Sesshoumaru could have meant by 'if you want revenge, I may be able to help you with that'? Did he mean that if he could take down Naraku, he would have his revenge? If that was so, that was not revenge. He wanted the head of the man that had touched her. How was that possible though? That man was most likely in China, rotting in a jail cell. Even that wasn't enough.

Well, in any case, he would find out from Sesshoumaru later. Right now, he really did want to lie down.

As he stretched out on his bed that he used when he visited this brother and sister-in-law, he wished Kagome were there. If she would lie down with him, he would feel so much better. Somehow, Kagome had the power to sooth him just with her presence.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and, after about an hour of tossing and turning, he fell into a restless sleep.

-----------------------------

I know that this is a really, really short chapter. I'm sorry but I've been trying to get more information on Voodoo. As fascinating of a religion as it is, there is next to nothing on the internet about it. All I have to go on is basics. If I have stated something in this chapter that is untrue and someone catches it, PLEASE let me know. I would hate it if I got something wrong. Also, if you know of somewhere that might have more detailed information on Voodoo, please send me a link.

In other news, I only have one response to the challenge I posted last week. I don't care how stupid you think it is I would love to here it. I really want to change the name of this story, but I would like to have many to choose from. As for the one I did get, I thought it was really good. They didn't think so, but if this is the only one I get then this is the one I will choose. Please send me your thoughts. I may put them all together and let you all vote on the one you like. I'm sorry they didn't figure any more out about Naraku. I feel it helps the story to keep him a mysterious character. You will find out more about him later but it will be down the road a ways. There also wasn't too much Sessh/Inu head butting but there will be in the next chapter. This, I promise you. Even if you think it's corny, I would love to hear it. You can e-mail it to me like the last person did if you don't want anyone else to hear it. Please:whimper:

jflorea: You are the nicest, sweetest person alive. I swear, I got teary eyed reading your review. I love making Rin the peacekeeper. She is such an upbeat character, it's only natural that she would try to get Sessh and Inu to get along. Although, she does find humor in their relationship from time to time. Also, the reason I have almost no grammatical errors is because I'm OCD when it comes to stuff like that. I've said before that I spend more time reading my story than I do writing it. I'm glad you're enjoying it and thanks for the title suggestion. The more I think about it, the more I like it. I meant what I said, if I get no more suggestions, yours will be the one I go with. I hope this is soon enough by the way. I'm glad you like the jokes. I think they're funny, but I'm sure I have a strange sense of humor. I love a good dick and fart joke, but I also love dry humor and sarcasm. I'm a strange one, trust me. Anywho, I'm glad you like that chapter and hope you like this one.

LoVe23: Thank you for understanding how hard it is to let yourself feel the emotions of your characters. The scene with Kagome was the hardest because, well, things like that happen to women all the time. I guess it was so hard for me to let go of those emotions afterwards because if something like that has ever happened to you, it's difficult to cut yourself off from the feelings you were having at the time. It's like they're engrained into your memory. Once those emotions are brought back up again, like with the Kagome scene, it's hard to let them go all over again. I don't tell you this to get you all to feel pity for me, (I have long since some to terms with certain times of my life) I tell you because I hope that I can shed some light on how a persons mind works after the fact. So far, I've only talked about Inuyasha emotions. Soon, we'll get a look into Kagome's head. I promise, the wait will be worth it. And maybe, you'll all understand what something like that can do you a woman (or man) and you can have a better understanding of friends or family that have gone through a similar situation. Wow! That was a long response! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for the review.


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: This would be the part where I make some really crappy joke about how I don't own Inuyasha and make no monetary gain off this fiction, but…I got nothing.

Chapter 12:

Perspective

After what felt like a week to Kagome, the girls returned with a carload of clothes and other items. Kagome learned quickly not to linger on one item too long or Rin made her put it in her arms for purchase. After hours of shopping, Kagome had a full wardrobe and matching jewelry. It really didn't sit right with her, but she figured that it was the last time she had to endure Sesshoumaru and Rin's brand of making things right. Kagome vowed never to let herself be the object of debt for them again. It was very tiring.

Sango went to her room to pack her things and Rin and Kagome went to Kagome's room to do the same. After they were about halfway through unhanging and packing all of the new items, Rin took it upon herself to kill the companionable silence.

"So, do you like it here in North Carolina?"

Kagome smiled and let the image of green surround her. "I love it here. There is so much untouched land. It is nothing like Tokyo."

Rin chuckled. "No, I suppose it isn't. Um Kagome, I want to ask you a question without offending you."

Rin could see the curious look in Kagome's eyes and waited for her to respond to the statement. It wasn't a question, just a way of warning Kagome to expect something that might be hard to talk about.

"Rin, it is hard to offend me. It makes me like you even more, knowing that you would be concerned for me. If you like, you can ask me anything. I can't promise I'll answer, but I won't be mad." It was okay for Kagome to let her guard down around Rin. It was hard not to like the girl and want to be comforted by her warmth. It wasn't as if she was ever going to see her again after this was all over, so why try to shut herself off.

"I'll try not to pry too much, but there are some things I wanted to ask you. Actually, I wanted to know if you had ever had panic attacks before now."

"Well, that is an easy one. I used to have them as a child, but it has been a long time. I had separation anxiety when I was younger. I guess all the stress of what's going on triggered a reaction."

Rin looked troubled, and it wasn't lost on Kagome. "What," she asked.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice that both times you had one, it was because of close contact with a man. I was wondering if you didn't feel comfortable around men, or if you had a bad experience."

Kagome sat down on the bed and Rin followed. Rin put a hand on Kagome's back and gently rubbed up and down, trying to let her know that she was still there if Kagome wanted to confided in her.

Kagome looked at Rin and wondered why it was so easy to tell her things. It was easier with her than with Miroku.

Dragging in a deep breath, Kagome began to explain. "Well, it's not that I don't feel comfortable around men, it's just that I don't want to be close to them. I don't want them to touch me in a familiar way, or to know me at all. When it happened with Inuyasha, I was afraid." Tears started to prick her eyes when she remembered the crestfallen look in Inuyasha's eyes. It hurt that she had hurt him, but she didn't understand why. "I was afraid that he was getting too close, that I was letting him get too close. The other guy…" Kagome could feel the hands that weren't there slither across her body. She opened her eyes so she could see for herself that they weren't there, but she could still feel them. The only time she couldn't feel the sensation was when Inuyasha was near. She supposed that was the other reason she sought refuge in his bed that morning.

She hadn't spoken in a while and could feel Rin's worried glance on her. "I'm fine," she said in a whisper. "I can still feel him, Rin. I've taken so many hot and cold showers trying to wash the feeling off. The truth is that I still feel the panic rising, but somehow, I can stop it before it becomes too much. I have to be strong because if Inuyasha sees that it affects me, he'll blame himself. It wasn't his fault and he did nothing wrong."

Rin seemed confused. "How do you just shut feelings like that off?"

"I don't know. At the time it was happening, I guess I pretended that it wasn't me in the man's arms. It was like I was floating outside of my body. Now, it's the same sensation. I know that it was me that it happened to; I can just make it feel like it was someone else. I know that it's probably not the healthiest way to deal with it, but it's all I can do for now. I have a shrink back home, and I'll talk to her once this is all over. I honestly thought about calling her once or twice."

Rin smiled. At least Kagome knew that she needed to talk to someone about what had happened. She was an extremely well-educated woman and it showed in her every thought and action. "I think that's an excellent idea Kagome. Here I thought I was going to have to convince you to seek some help."

"Don't worry, I know all about talking to a professional when it comes to things of this nature. There are some things my doctor and I disagree about in my life, but she is always there to lend support. Actually, you remind me of her." That was the reason. Rin didn't look like the good doctor she had met over a decade ago, but she spoke like her, and offered her the same kind of understanding and support. That was the reason Rin felt so comfortable to be around.

"I'm glad I remind you of someone you obviously hold in such high esteem."

Kagome started to fidget. Since Rin did feel like someone she could talk to, maybe she could ask her for some advice and insight on another problem she was having. But, would Rin spill everything that was told to her? Kagome didn't really know Rin, and it stood to reason that she didn't know what the woman would repeat once the cat was out of the proverbial bag. But, something told her that she would be like the doctor in that aspect. She could just feel that Rin would be more honorable than to run around and gossip behind her back.

"Can I tell you something in confidence?"

"Of course, I'll never tell a soul, if you don't want me to."

"Um, Inuyasha said that he liked me."

Rin's eyes became as big as saucers. Well that was a surprise. It was wholly unlike Inuyasha to come right out a say something like that. Rin was used to reading between the lines when it came to her brother-in-law.

"Really!?"

"Is it that surprising? I mean, am I not his type or something?"

"No, it's not that." There was a long moment of silence when it seemed that Rin was battling something within herself. "Well, if I keep a secret for you, will you keep one for me?"

Kagome softened her features to convey that she was genuine. "Of course."

"When Inuyasha was in his freshman year of college, he fell in love with a girl named Amanda. They were supposed to be married by the following year. It was all very sudden."

Kagome felt a sharp pain in her chest. Her subconscious knew what it was, but Kagome, herself, was reluctant to admit what the feeling was; jealously.

"What happened? He's not married, is he?"

"The day of the wedding, Amanda took off with some guy that she had met a few weeks before. She called him a few hours after the ceremony was supposed to take place and told him that she had fallen in love with someone else."

Kagome felt her eyes fill with tears. What a horrible thing to have to go through.

"That's why it's so surprising to me that Inuyasha told you how he feels about you so soon. He's afraid that it will all happen again if he lets himself go down that road. We've tried to set him up a few times, but most of the time he only goes out on a few dates with them, and then never sees them again. He never lets it get too serious."

Kagome's lungs seized and she felt like her chest was collapsing. Inuyasha had gone through something so traumatic, yet he was able to get over it when it came to her. Why couldn't she be that brave? Okay, so she liked him, too. He was sweet and gentle, caring and brave. Kagome found resolve. If Inuyasha could take a chance, why couldn't she? He was willing to have certain events happen again if it gave him a chance to be happy with her. Was she really worth it? Well, Inuyasha felt she was. 'Is it worth it?' Maybe, just maybe, she could be brave for once. Fate couldn't be that cruel, could it?

"Kagome, do you like him?"

Rin's soft voice filled her ears. "Yes," she replied in a whisper.

"Well then, you should tell him."

Kagome let a smile cross her face and nodded.

---------------------------

Inuyasha woke up the next morning and turned to his side. Much to his disappointment, Kagome hadn't joined him in the middle of the night again. He sighed a lingering sigh and sat up in the bed.

He hadn't really expected her to come to him again. Kagome was so embarrassed when she finally told him what she was really up to. She acted as if she had tried to seduce him in his sleep. She said that she couldn't sleep; however, she really had seduced him unknowingly. Feeling her skin and her hair in such close contact with his own, it was enough to send stutters through Inuyasha's system even thinking about it. Maybe, he could sneak into her room tomorrow night. It was a thought. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, his mother had always taught him. He doubted that his mother had this particular situation in mind but the lesson still held true, didn't it?

Inuyasha stretched and got up from the queen sized sleigh bed. His brother had put it in for him since it was his favorite style. Sometime his brother surprised him in the strangest ways.

To outsiders, Inuyasha supposed that it looked like the two of them hated each other. He and Sesshoumaru didn't hate each other. No, they just had a healthy dislike for one another. However, they had the utmost respect for each other. It was a strange thing to feel. Inuyasha resented his brother for so much, but he couldn't seem to make it a week without wanting to talk to him, wanting to get on his nerves, wanting to feel as if he were part of a family. He had no one but Sesshoumaru. Well, he did count Myoga sometimes as family, but that was different. Sesshoumaru was his blood. He didn't have anyone else to whom that would apply. His father had died before he had turned seven and his mother died when he was almost eighteen. He had been on his own since then.

It wasn't until Sesshoumaru married Rin that he even felt he had a brother. As kids, Sesshoumaru had always picked fights with him and taunted him. Sesshoumaru insulted his mother to her face and held no remorse for letting her know everyday that she wasn't his mother. After the Sesshoumaru and Rin's wedding, Inuyasha started noticing a difference in his half-brother. It was subtle at first, but it was unmistakable.

Every time he saw him after the wedding, Sesshoumaru no longer looked at Inuyasha with distain or indifference. The look in his eyes portrayed remorse and self-loathing. At first, Inuyasha was leery. As time passed, Inuyasha began to realize that Sesshoumaru really did feel bad for all he had done to him and his mother. Sesshoumaru even went as far as replacing the very meager tombstone he had scraped to pay for with a beautiful marble statue of an angel that stood well over seven feet. That act alone was enough for Inuyasha to make up his mind to forgive his brother.

Speaking of his brother, Sesshoumaru had mentioned something about revenge the other morning, hadn't he? With new energy, Inuyasha got dressed and made his way to the kitchen.

After a quick breakfast, he set off to find his half-brother. Only moments later he found him in the hall with Rin. Rin had a sheepish smile on her face. They obviously hadn't noticed him yet because Sesshoumaru still had her pressed into the wall, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and making her giggle every few seconds.

For a brief moment, Inuyasha felt jealously. He wanted what his brother had. He wanted a wife who loved him with all her heart. He wanted someone whom he loved with every breath he took. As he stood there watching, an image came to his mind. Instead of Sesshoumaru and Rin, he saw himself and Kagome. He could see it very clearly in his mind.

He could see himself pressing her into a wall; passion filling her gaze. He could imagine himself whispering in her ear, telling her how beautiful she was. He could hear her giggling with embarrassment, and he could almost feel the sexual tension.

Inuyasha cleared his throat and smiled at the pouting look thrown his way by Rin. She always did hate it when he interrupted her little moments with his brother.

"I'll see you later, love," Rin said to her husband.

"I'll hold you to that, lover." Sesshoumaru bent and gave her a chaste kiss before swatting her behind as she skittered away.

"Must you always ruin the mood, Inuyasha?"

"I wouldn't if you two would keep that shit in the bedroom."

"This is my residence, foul mouth. I will use my kitchen table if I like."

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled and he stuck out his tongue. "Eww…I ate off that table only fifteen minutes ago. I hope you used bleach."

"What is it you want, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha schooled his face into a look of seriousness. This situation called for it. It was the most important thing at the moment, and he wanted his brother to know how grave he was about this.

"You said you might be able to help me get that asshole back."

Sesshoumaru knew that it was coming. He was prepared accordingly. "How about we retire to my study?"

"Fine."

The two of them walked down a few halls and a flight of stairs before they finally reached their destination.

"I think you should sit." Sesshoumaru waved at the chair across from his desk. Inuyasha complied, albeit with a sour look on his face.

Sesshoumaru tossed a black and white photo across the large, cherry desk. "Is this the man?"

Inuyasha picked up the shiny paper and eyed it closely. A sneer marred his face only a few short seconds later. "Yeah, that's the bastard." Inuyasha tossed the picture back with a little more force than necessary. It was hard for him to keep his emotions in control while looking at the ugly mug of the man who had dared lay a threatening finger on the most beautiful woman in the world.

"His name is Dan Harris. He has a permanent residence here in North Carolina. After they arrested him in China, the authorities deported him back here. It seems he has been spying on us for quite some time. There is no doubt in my mind that Naraku hired him to do so and then used him further, as a pawn."

"Well that makes sense but what does this have to do with me getting revenge?"

"Inuyasha, did you not hear me. The vile man is here…in Raleigh…"

"So what? He's in custody. There's no way they're going to let me get close enough to him to deal some justice."

Sesshoumaru sat down with an angry look. Was the idiot that dense? Yes, yes he was.

"Okay Inuyasha, I'll spell it out for your simple mind. I have influence in this town. So much so that this afternoon, in approximately…" he glanced at his watch, "four hours from now, Mr. Harris will be in a room with no cameras and no witness. Inuyasha, can your feeble mind guess who has the key to that room?"

Inuyasha gaped at his older brother. This was almost too good to be true. Of course it was. 'This is Sesshoumaru we're talking about here.' There was something more to it.

"What's the catch?"

"You have no more than five minutes."

Inuyasha thought about this for a minute. "When do we leave?"

"At noon."

----------------------------

A man named Dan Harris sat in a room with only a table and a locked door to keep him company. The officer that had brought him there told him that he would be back for him shortly. 'This is the last time I deal with people like Naraku.'

The door to his right started to open. He didn't look up from his cuffed hands. "Where are you taking me now," he asked the officer who finally came back to get him.

"To hell."

Inuyasha swiftly shut the door behind himself and stalked the greasy man that was now looking at him with fear and realization. 'Good,' he thought to himself. 'He should be afraid.'

Inuyasha grabbed the restrained man by the front of his institutional orange jump suit. The man sputtered and tried to twist out of Inuyasha's grasp, but found that he was pretty much helpless.

"Do you remember me?" Inuyasha could hardly recognize his own voice. It had taken on a predictor-like quality.

"Yes," the man finally strangled out.

"Good. After today, you will remember what happens to men who put their hands on defenseless women." With that, Inuyasha began.

By the time his five minutes were up, Dan Harris was bloodied and bruised beyond recognition. As a matter of fact, when Inuyasha was leaving the room, he could swear he smelt piss and defecation. He smiled at the thought.

On the ride home, he couldn't help but feel as if he had not gotten revenge for Kagome. Well he really hadn't considering the man that had ordered Mr. Harris to do the things he did was still at large. Hopefully that would be remedied soon. If they continued their quest, there was no doubt in Inuyasha's mind that his and Naraku's paths would cross soon. When they did…

----------------------------

After they returned back to Sesshoumaru's home, Inuyasha asked his brother to keep their little 'trip' a secret.

"Consider it done, little brother."

Inuyasha looked at the ground and scowled. "Thanks."

"Think nothing of it. As you said, 'if it were Rin'…"

Inuyasha nodded and made his way to the front doors. They would be leaving for New Orleans tomorrow. He needed to tell the others. Making his way to the kitchen where he knew they would be sitting down and having dinner, he strengthened his resolve. Naraku would pay for what he had done so far.

Coming up to the dining room, he stopped when he heard bubbling laughter. It was Kagome. Her laughter seemed infectious, he noticed, when he couldn't keep a smile from twitching on his lips. She was good for him in so many ways. Not like that other bitch. Kagome was the exact opposite of Amanda. Where Amanda had always made him buy her things, Kagome felt uncomfortable receiving even the necessities from him. Rin had already told him about them going shopping. His sister-in-law had to force her to buy more than two changes of clothes.

Another thing that appealed to him was that Kagome was almost always happy. She seemed as if she would never tire of silly, small things that caught children's eyes. He loved that about her. She wasn't afraid to look silly in the eyes of others. It was just a part of who she was. Amanda was never like that. She always held her nose up high at such notions. She never let her hair down, even in front of her fiancée.

Kagome was different. This time, it was different. Kagome would never treat him heartlessly. She could never be so callous and cruel. It wasn't in her nature to do something so malicious. Inuyasha doubted if Kagome had ever even killed a gnat, let alone crushed someone's hopes and dreams.

"Inuyasha, are you going to eat?" He was so into his own thoughts, he had failed to notice that the four of them were now looking at him. He shook his head and moved to the closest empty chair.

After wolfing down a plate of food, he cleared his throat to get their attention. Once all their eyes were on him, he began.

"We're leaving tomorrow. We'll drive to keep from having to give our names at airports. This way, there is less chance that Naraku will know where we're going, unless he has us followed. Being followed for two days is something that we would have a hard time not seeing."

Kagome nodded and stood up. "In that case, I'm going to take a bath. Miroku, will you come with?"

Miroku nodded absently and keep eating. "I'll be there after I finish eating."

"Okay," she said and left with three other people gaping at her. Sango, Inuyasha, and Rin were all looking at him in shock when Miroku finally looked up to see what was with all the silence.

"What," he asked.

Inuyasha glared at him pointedly. "You're going to go with Kagome to take a bath." His nose scrunched up at the thought.

Miroku sighed. "Yes, and she's my cousin for the god's sake. She just likes for me to sit with her sometimes when she has something to talk about. I have no idea why, but Kagome feels better talking when she's bathing."

Sango hesitated. "You're not like, going to watch her, are you?"

Miroku rolled his eyes at the three of them. "What the hell is wrong with you people? I'm the closest thing she has to a best friend. Try to gain a little perspective."

Sango sighed. "You're right. It just seems strange, is all. I'm sorry to have offended you."

"Yeah." "Me too," added Rin and Inuyasha.

"It's alright. I'm used to the speculation. Kagome's just quirky, and I go along with it because I would like to keep my cousin from running away from me. Besides, I'm curious as to what she has to talk to me about most times. I wonder what it will be," finished Miroku while fixing an amused look on Inuyasha.

Miroku laughed at Inuyasha while walking away. If the man's grumbled curses had meant anything, this could be a highly enlightening bath.

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Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I know I usually post a chapter on Sunday but I was camping this weekend. I hope you all like it. As always, please review.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I know where I eventually want this story to go, but the chapters come off the top of my head every week. I don't really have anything written in stone. As such, I may miss plot holes that you guys would catch. If you find one, please feel free to let me know. I know it's kind of risky writing a story this way, but it's the way I operate. I can't help it. Thanks for the help. I'm glad you enjoyed all the fluff. I love writing it. Inuyasha is doing a really good job so far. He'll continue to do so for a little while longer at least. Oh my, did I just give something up? He he he. By the way, I'm still looking for that so called corny name. Thanks for the review.

Ethereal Siren: I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the offer of help but I'm afraid you're right. Voodoo really is a mystery religion. Especially the branch I'm really interested in; New Orleans Voodoo. It's so strange that a religion so fascinating is so hard to find information on. Your right also, they really won't be that exposed to it. I told you guys I'm OCD. I almost need to know. Thanks for your help anyway. Anything you could throw my way would be much appreciated.

jflorea: She so lovesick, it's really a shame. All will be revealed in due time. I hope you people aren't waiting for some crazy twist or something. I really hate to disappoint. Her secret will be in the next five chapters or so…I hope. Thanks for the links. I haven't really gotten to look at them yet but I saved your e-mail. I'll let you know how they turn out. I'll also e-mail you back tomorrow. Thanks for Thanks for the review. I hope you like this chapter as well. Let me know.

LoVe23: Thanks for the support. I have come into a wonderful place in my life and my fiancée has helped a lot. I can talk about it now with out fear that I will see it in my head. I'm sorry you had a similar situation. I admire your courage. I'm glad you like the title. I haven't really decided to change it; I just wanted to see if anyone had any better ideas. So that's one vote yes I suppose. lol. Thanks for the continued support.


	14. Chapter 13

I wanted to ask you all that didn't get an alert that my last chapter was revised to reread it. A mistake has been amended and I thank Inu Kagome 4Life for catching it and pointing it out to me. If anyone else finds a mistake, please let me know. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I don't even own this computer. Thanks Mommy!

Chapter 13:

Starry Bubbles and Moonlight Tears

The tub was beyond huge. It was ginormous. Well, that wasn't really a word, but Kagome could think of no better way to describe it. The tub was pearly white, and set into the wall at the back of the bathroom. It could easily fit five grown adults with plenty of room for movement. The three walls that surrounded it were twinkling. When Kagome actually got into the bathtub, she could see that the walls had optical lights imbedded in them. It was a breathtaking effect. The walls and ceiling above the tub were painted a flat black so that the glimmering lights looked like the night sky. Just to have the proper effect, Kagome dimmed the lights in the bathroom. She also let herself indulge in the bubble bath that she found under the sink. All in all, she knew she was going to be very pruney before she decided she had had enough.

"Ahhhhh…" Kagome breathed as she sunk into the almost scalding water. She had almost fallen asleep when she heard a knock on the door. Kagome smiled.

"Come on in, oh favorite cousin of mine."

"You know, our new friends think we're strange. They looked at me like I was going to come in here and join you, or something."

Kagome chuckled. "What did you tell them?"

Miroku shrugged. "I told them that they were perverts, and that they needed to get their minds out of the gutter."

At that, Kagome laughed outright. "I want this bathroom."

"Yeah, it is rather cool. I think I'll follow your example, after you're done."

"That might be a while, Miro. I think I might just move into this bathtub."

"I wouldn't advise that. Inuyasha's liable to jerk you out. He's dead set on leaving first thing in the morning."

Miroku noticed Kagome stiffen when the white haired man was mentioned.

"Is there something you want to talk about, Kagome?"

Kagome removed the wet cloth covering her face and looked at her cousin. He was leaning against the sink, a good ten feet away. "You might want to sit down."

Miroku made his way to the toilet across the room. "All comfortable. Now, what's on your mind?"

"I never told you the details of what happened outside of Totosai's shop, did I?"

Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you told me that Inuyasha tried to contain you, and you had a panic attack. That was it, really. Was there something else?"

"Yeah. He told me he liked me."

Miroku already knew that, but he remained blissfully ignorant. It would only make Kagome upset to know that the others knew of her and Inuyasha's feelings towards each other.

"Well, you basically told me after you met him that you thought you were in love with him. What do you plan to do?"

Kagome groaned, wrapped her arms around her legs, and placed her forehead to her knees. "I don't know, Miro. I do like him. I'm just…frightened."

Kagome said it in such a low tone, that Miroku had to strain to hear it. "Kagome, we've had this conversation before. Do you think that your parents would want you to be alone for the rest of your life? Inuyasha is a good man. He is very protective of you. Even if you had met under different circumstances, he would have been no different. I have no doubt that he was toning down his feelings when he told you. He might be scared himself, due to the fact that you two only met a week ago."

Kagome looked up at her cousin. He had a way of saying things that could make you see something with such clarity.

"I know he's scared, Miroku. I can't tell you how I know he's scared, but I do know."

"Then why can't you see what a good thing this is. You can heal each other."

"What do I do?"

Miroku sighed. "I can't tell you what to do Kagome. I can only tell you that if you don't take this chance, I'm afraid that you will regret it for the rest of your life. Can you honestly tell me that you won't think about him every single day after this?"

"No, I can't tell you that. I know I would. I'm still afraid. It seems almost too good to be true."

Miroku stood up. "Maybe the Gods are making it up to you Kagome. You have had such hardship in your life that it seems that now is as good a time as any for you to have a little bit of the good in life. And also, I won't forget our last conversation on this topic. I distinctly remember you saying that you wanted someone in your life."

With that, he left the room so Kagome could think about his words in silence.

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After an hour of waiting, Inuyasha heard Kagome come back to her room. He waited for a full thirty minutes after not hearing any more movement, before he silently slipped into Kagome's room.

When he walked in, he had to let his eyes adjust to the light, or lack thereof, before he moved to the side of her bed. Inuyasha loved to look at Kagome while she was sleeping. The crease in her brow had smoothed and her mouth parted ever so slightly when she breathed out. It was like looking at a fallen angel.

'My angel…' he thought.

Inuyasha lovingly stroked her face, and was a little startled when the crease in her forehead returned with a vengeance. Her breath caught in her throat, and Inuyasha realized that she was starting to have a bad dream.

'Well, this is as good an excuse as any.'

Inuyasha placed one knee on the bed while keeping a foot on the wooden floor. He took her face in his hands and gently called her name.

"Kagome, wake up. You're having a bad dream."

Kagome whimpered softly a few times but refused to awaken, so he upped the volume of his voice. That finally did the trick, and when her eyes fluttered opened, he could see the pools of tears that threatened to spill out.

"Kagome, what's wrong? What were you dreaming about?"

Kagome immediately started bawling. Inuyasha scooped her up into his arms and she didn't hesitate to seek the comfort he so freely gave. It didn't matter to Inuyasha that at first she was inconsolable. All that mattered is that she would calm after awhile. He just needed to be patient and let her get her emotions out. It was hard to sit there and know that he could do nothing to make her stop being so afraid or sad. It was really hard. But soon, his silent prayers were answered, and Kagome started calming down.

When she was sniffling and he knew that she wouldn't fly into hysterics again, Inuyasha spoke.

"Kagome, will you tell me what you were dreaming about?"

Kagome stiffened and waited before giving her answer. "No, I can't."

Inuyasha nodded his head and knew that she could feel it. "You can't, or you won't?"

Kagome sniffed and sighed. "I won't."

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Even though the room was dark, he could feel her face twist, and her tears come back. A loud sob that cut through the silence confirmed his suspicions. He tightened his grip, and started rocking back and forth again.

"Shhh…it's okay. If you won't tell me, then I'll understand. I didn't mean to upset you again."

Kagome's blubbering died down again, and this time Inuyasha waited for her to begin; if she would. Sure enough, his patience won out.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Inuyasha," she whispered. "I just can't tell you of all people because I'm afraid of how you'll react."

"If you want to tell me, I'll try my best to react kindly. I could never get angry with you."

The crying picked up just a little, but Kagome still managed to talk through the tears. "I'm not afraid you'll get angry, I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

Well, that was unexpected. It was truly unanticipated that Kagome would be worried for him, rather than for herself. Although, he had never met anyone like Kagome. With everything he knew about her so far, it wasn't that farfetched. "Please don't worry about hurting me Kagome. I'm worried about you. If a dream has this kind of effect on you, I would really like you to talk to me about it. You know that I care for you. I want to help you, if I can. Will you let me help you?"

Kagome took a little time to compose herself. I took awhile, but Inuyasha was confident that she had decided to tell him by the way she was forcing herself to calm down. She was taking deep breaths through her nose and out of her mouth. Inuyasha knew a breathing exercise when he saw one, so he let Kagome have the time she needed.

"Before I tell you, just promise you won't be upset," and then as an after thought, "with me or yourself."

Well that was a strange request. Might as well. "Okay, I promise I'll try."

"Good enough," she muttered. One more deep breath and she twisted in his arms so she could look him in the face.

"I was dreaming about…" after a long dramatic pause, she continued with, "the guy with the gun." The last part came as a cry from the back of Kagome's throat. Inuyasha moved to comfort her before her words had even settled on him. Finally, he got her meaning. Kagome was dreaming about Dan Harris; the man that he had beaten senseless only hours before.

Inuyasha's heart froze and restarted again, pounding wildly. Kagome was not as unaffected as she had let on. The thought made Inuyasha do the thing he promised her he would try not to do. He was angry with himself. It was more than anger, it was self-loathing. If he could beat _himself_ senseless, he would. Even that wouldn't be enough to punish himself. It would take much more than that. He should have kept her safe. He told her he would, and he had failed. Inuyasha had failed the woman he would have loved to have for his own.

--------------------------

Half an hour later, Kagome had finally cried herself to sleep. Inuyasha slipped out of the bed and pulled the covers over her tiny body.

After Kagome's confession, Inuyasha didn't feel as if he should have the privilege to sleep in the same house as her, let alone the same room. He shut the door soundlessly behind himself and wandered outside the mansion onto the estate grounds. Inuyasha walked around a koi pond and sat on the other side, on a stone bench. There he began to think.

First, Inuyasha thought about the horrid tears he had just watched Kagome shed. If it wasn't for him and his inability to protect her and keep her safe, she wouldn't have had to cry herself to sleep. It was very hard not to cry himself while he watched her. He felt so helpless. There really was nothing else he could do. It was pointless to even try. The damage had been done.

After he was done thoroughly blaming himself for everything, Inuyasha thought about what should be done now. The logical thing was to ask Sesshoumaru if she and her cousin could stay here at the estate. Come to think of it, Sango should stay behind. Although, if Inuyasha said that she should stay behind so that she wouldn't be in harm's way, Sango would kill him and go anyway. He would have to come up with a good excuse as to why she should stay.

Maybe he could pull off asking her to watch out for Kagome and Miroku. He wasn't really sure if she would fall for it. Kagome would be very safe here. Inuyasha could even ask Sesshoumaru and Rin to beef up security until the whole thing was a done deal. Well, he could always butter up Sango. He could flatter her by telling her that she was the only one he trusted to keep Kagome safe. That would appeal to her.

Yes, that's what he would do. He would ask his brother in the morning, and then convince Sango to stay and let him go alone. It was the only option. Kagome couldn't be put in danger again. Inuyasha wouldn't allow it. He couldn't even let himself think about what could happen to her during the journey to New Orleans or, God forbid, when they arrived there.

With his mind made up, and his whole plan carefully crafted, Inuyasha walked into the house that his father and mother had once lived in, and navigated the halls that he could have walked down blindfolded.

Deep into his own thoughts, he almost ran over Miroku wandering in the darkness. It looked to Inuyasha as if he was trying to find the kitchen.

Inuyasha looked at his green, glowing watch. "Don't you think two a.m. is kinda late for a midnight snack?"

Miroku cracked a smile. "Then I guess it's a good thing I'm going to have a two a.m. snack, isn't it?"

Inuyasha smiled back. "Come on. I'll show you were Sessh keeps the good shit."

Together, they walked a few halls in the huge house until Inuyasha had led them to the large, white kitchen. Miroku sat down at the breakfast table, and Inuyasha went to the cabinets and got down two bowls. This was followed by two spoon and two paper towels.

"Do you like ice cream?"

"Sure, what kind do you have?"

Inuyasha opened the large freezer and pulled a tub out. "All he has is vanilla." Inuyasha sighed and put the frozen treat in front of Miroku. "My brother is so boring."

Miroku chuckled as he opened the paper carton and started scooping up the black-flecked goodness that was true vanilla ice cream. "I have to admit, you two are nothing alike. I find it very hard to believe that you two even share one parent. Other than the fact that you look alike, you have nothing in common."

Inuyasha scooped some of the ice cream for himself, and dug in. "We do have some things in common. We both love history. We get that from our father, too."

Miroku and Inuyasha were silent for a few minutes while they indulged in their snack. Miroku was going for seconds when Inuyasha decided that it was the perfect time to make the new plan known.

"Miroku, how would you like to stay here for a little while longer?"

"That wouldn't be too bad I guess. Did you change your mind about leaving tomorrow morning? You were all excited about it earlier."

Inuyasha pushed his now melted ice cream around the bowl with his spoon. "No, I haven't changed my mind about leaving in the morning."

There was confusion showing on Miroku's face, but he waited for Inuyasha to make his point. He could guess already, but he wanted to know why.

"I was just going to say that it makes more sense for you and Kagome to stay here. It's safer here and I'm going to talk Sango into staying. Maybe you'll get lucky."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," said Miroku, totally bypassing the remark about his getting 'lucky'. "Did you tell Kagome yet?"

At the mention of Kagome's name, Inuyasha tensed. Miroku noticed but decided not to say anything. If Inuyasha wanted to tell him something, he would.

"No, I haven't told her yet. I was going to when she woke up."

"Oh, well, you should tell her as soon as you can. She was kind of looking forward to going. She always said that she would like to see New Orleans. She never found the time to go, though. She'll be disappointed but she'll understand."

Inuyasha let that sink in. He didn't want to hurt Kagome even more. But, he reasoned with himself, it was better that she was disappointed a little now than to be hurt by Naraku again. Now that that mad man knew how Inuyasha felt about her, he would stop at nothing to cause him harm through her. It would be worse the next time. Much worse…

"I'll tell her as soon as I can. I hope she does understand. When I get back, I'll take her there to make up for it."

Miroku nodded and continued eating.

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Kagome woke up a few hours later with a runny nose and a headache. Those things didn't matter near as much as the fact that she was alone now. Inuyasha had gone. She wasn't surprised. Who really wanted to see a whiney girl cry herself to sleep? Kagome sighed and rolled over.

After trying for what felt like an hour, Kagome got tired of trying. She slid off the bed and made her way over to the balcony that was trapped behind sliding glass doors. She opened it, and a chilly gust of wind kissed her cheeks, making her back up and grab her robe before venturing outside.

The night was very clear and Kagome could see many stars. She had forgotten how many stars there really were, from spending the last nineteen years of her life in Tokyo. They were so bright she could almost reach out and touch them. It was a full moon tonight as well, which made the earth light up in a surreal, too bright way. It was a little strange for it to be so lit up at three in the morning.

Kagome thought about many things while she was on the balcony. The first one was the most important. She really needed to call her doctor in the morning. This was getting out of hand. She didn't want to scare Inuyasha off. She really liked him, and was wondering if he really was the one who could make her forget all her fears. It felt so good to have him around. He was quickly becoming very important to her. The sensation scared her in many ways, but in some ways, it was exhilarating. She was daring to dream of what it would be like to have Inuyasha to herself; for him to be hers. What was more exciting was the thought that she could be his. Kagome could be Inuyasha's. It was very hard not to get ahead of herself and start imaging small, white haired boys with golden eyes.,

After what felt like forever, Kagome began to feel sleepy again. She really didn't feel like sleeping much, for fear the dream would come back. She really needed Inuyasha right now. It seemed like she slept so much better when he was near. But, that wasn't going to happen.

Kagome made her way back into the room and closed the glass doors. She moved the curtains in front of the doors so the bright moonlight wouldn't filter through the doorway. Laying down on her bed that was way too big for only one person, Kagome began to let herself dream about what life might be like for her if she let Inuyasha have what he wanted. But, it wasn't really what he wanted, it was what _they_ wanted. She wanted to be with him so badly that it felt like she would shatter if it didn't happen. Again the scary feeling returned. If she was this attached already, what would happen to her if it didn't work out?

Then again, Kagome got the feeling that it would be a cold day in hell before either of them let go of the other. She didn't really know how she knew, she just did. It was like what she imagined love-at-first-sight would be, but different somehow.

'I'll tell him tomorrow, before we leave, how I feel. He needs to know. It's not fair to him that I would keep my feelings to myself. It's his business as much as it is mine.'

With her mind made up, Kagome fell into dreams of children with golden eyes.

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I'm sorry it took me so long to update ya'll. My father-in-law cut the wall out between my new kitchen and my existing house while at the same time cutting all the wires in the wall. I didn't have the internet for close to a week.

Also, the next update will be a little later than usual. I still need to do some research and I have procrastinated for far too long. I hope you all understand. As always, please tell me what you think. (jimmy!): Thanks for the great review and all your help. I kind of kept Inu's past a secret until now. I really wanted to focus on Kagome's past more. One of them had to be the strong one. Who better than Inuyasha? I always pictured Kagome and Rin being close. They have a lot of the same personality traits. Not to mention loving surly brothers. Everyone seems to like my twisted brand of humor. From the first chapter, I wrote the bathtub scene just so I could pull that joke later. Is that sick or what? He he he. I'm going to reply to your last e-mail as soon as this is posted too. Keep a lookout!

InuGoddess715: I glad you like that Inu got to kick some butt. By the way, why not use profanity? It's fun and sometimes you just need a good dirty word to express yourself. I don't think anyone reading my story will complain. Go ahead, profane away! 'Expressed a little differently'? I love that by the way. That is the nice way of putting it. Thanks for the great review.

Ethereal Siren: I'm glad everyone gets my twisted humor. I'm looking forward to New Orleans as well. Thanks for the review.

Inu Kagome 4Life: Don't worry about not reviewing. I realize that my reader's lives don't revolve around me. Thanks for reviewing this time. And OMG thank you for pointing out my massive stupidity. I don't know why I wrote that. I guess I've read one too many fan fictions and my hands just got a mind of their own. I do tend to write late at night as well. I guess I never caught it when I reread. My eyes just skimmed over it as though it was supposed to be there. Almost every Inu story you read, Inuyasha father died before he was born. I changed it and it should be true to the previous chapters now. Thank you again for pointing that out. You're a life saver.

desert siren: Thanks for the review. I love that everyone is getting my weirdness on the bathtub thing. I was hoping I wouldn't get flames on that. So far so good.

Smich16: I glad you like my work. I hope I can continue to pull you in to my madness. I am trying to put Sango and Miroku in there but I really do want to focus on Inuyasha and Kagome. My glad you appreciate that. Thanks for the great review. I agree and it will happen soon. In the next three chapters if everything goes right. That is, if I don't get any more hair brained ideas. I promise to try and stay on track though. And don't worry, more fluff to come. Thanks for the review.

magical obi: Again, it makes me so happy that everyone likes my strange jokes. Please don't hurt yourself falling off chairs. I would feel very guilt but also mildly proud. Then I would feel guilty about feeling proud. lol. Thanks for the review.

LoVe23: You are very courageous in my book and thank you for your kind words. I hope that I can get something through in my story. What good is it to learn a life lesson if you can't share it will anyone? Thanks for the review.


	15. Chapter 14

Thank you all for being so patient with this chapter coming so much later than the others. For those of you who don't know, I was nominated by my good friend jflorea for best action/adventure in the IYFG. However, they decided to DQ me for word usage issues. In light of this, I have decided to take the time needed to correct my last chapters and it has taken some of my writing time away. I'm still trying to do this with the help of my new beta. She is a blessing and I am hard-pressed to express my gratitude to her. Say hello Kathy.

Kathy: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kelly for letting me work with her. I love her story, and look forward to each new chapter. She has the dubious pleasure of trying to read my writing.

malitiadixie: Thanks Kathy-kin! I don't know how you don't run out of red ink trying to correct all my mistakes. You're a life saver! Now, on with the show.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 14:

Pursuit

Kagome woke up to the sound of cheerful birds twittering and tweeting outside of her balcony. She felt as if her mood had somehow influenced the flora and fauna around her. She hadn't felt this happy in years. Kagome felt as if she could leap one hundred feet in the air, or run as fast as the wind. Today was the day her life would change.

There were some things that were still uncertain, things like, where would she live after all this? She knew that Inuyasha wouldn't want to move to Tokyo. The only option was for her to move to The States. It really wasn't a bad option. She really did like it here. In a year she could probably have another practice up and running, provided she passed the bar exam in whatever state she was in. The only flaw in that plan was that she would leave Miroku behind. Maybe he could be convinced to move as well. He seemed to like it here as much as she did. The fresh air and green surroundings did them both wonders.

There were many more questions running rampant in her head but she decided that now was not the time to dwell on such things. There would be plenty of time later. Right now, Kagome needed to concentrate on what exactly she was going to say to Inuyasha.

'Um, I like you, too'. No, that really didn't convey at all that she felt. Kagome really loved Inuyasha. She had fallen in love with him the moment she saw his face. It really didn't matter how it happened, she decided. However, Kagome had no desire to lay it all on the line at once. One of two things could happen.

The first of those two things was wonderful. Inuyasha could tell her he loved her, as well. That would be beyond great, but the other thing that could happen kept her from doing so. Inuyasha could tell her that his feeling for her weren't that strong. He could decide that she was taking things too fast and not want to be with her anymore. It was a frightening thought. So, what was she to tell him?

Then it hit her. She could admit that she knew of his past, and then tell him hers. It would let him know that she felt very strongly for him, loved him, without actually saying the words. Yes, it was a beautiful plan.

With everything whirling in her brain, exact word patterns and scripted phrases, Kagome got dressed and went to find breakfast. She would tell him that night as soon as they stopped to rest.

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Inuyasha packed his bags with a glum air about him. He was stalling. What was worse was that he was well aware that he was stalling. It was very frustrating. He didn't want to leave Kagome or any of the others behind. He wanted her to stay as close to him as possible. Hell, if he could strap the woman on his back he would.

With everything finally packed, Inuyasha picked up his bags and set them outside his door. There was nothing left to do but tell Sango and Kagome what he had decided, and leave. There was a terrible ache in his gut at the thought of Kagome not being at his side but he trudged toward the sounds of chatter and breakfast being consumed, nonetheless. It had to be done, and it had to be done soon.

Walking into the kitchen, Inuyasha noticed that Sesshoumaru and Rin had decided to join the others for breakfast. He said nothing as he made his way to the table and pulled up a chair next to his sister-in-law. Maybe by being next to a person he loved, he could find some semblance of support for the speech he needed to make.

"Good morning, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked up to Kagome who was holding a fork full of eggs. 'God, she's beautiful.'

"Did you sleep well?"

Inuyasha started filling his plate and responded without looking at her. Leaving her behind was going to be harder than he thought.

"Uh yeah, I guess I did."

"Do you want to leave right after breakfast?" Sango asked.

Miroku cleared his throat and Inuyasha dropped his utensil to the plate in front of him. "I kind of wanted to talk to you about that."

"Oh, are we not leaving today?"

"I'm leaving, yes. I was going to leave alone, though."

"What?" screeched Sango. "What do you mean, you're leaving alone?!"

"I mean that I want the rest of you to stay here if it's alright with Rin and Sesshoumaru." For some reason, he didn't look at Kagome. If he did, Inuyasha might waver and he couldn't afford to do that. 'She must be safe. This is the only way,' he thought, reassuring himself.

"That's alright with us, Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru and I have plenty of space and I would love to have a little more girl time." Rin sensed the inner turmoil in Inuyasha and placed a comforting hand on his under the table. She gave a small squeeze, and nodded her head.

'Good, old Rin. My brother is so lucky. She always seems to know what to do.' Inuyasha was becoming uncomfortable and it was Rin's gesture that calmed him enough, so that he was less likely to run from the room.

"Well, it's not alright with me. I want to go." Sango was livid. Why would he want to leave them behind?

"You can't, Sango. Kagome and Miroku are both safer here, and I need you to stay so Sesshoumaru can have an extra set of eyes." Inuyasha had yet to look in Kagome's direction. It was getting harder and harder to just sit there and look at his plate. He even tried to eat to keep his eyes from wandering, but the food was rubbery and tasteless in his mouth.

"Inuyasha, is this another one of your ploys to keep me from being hurt. I'm not a damn doll. I won't break!"

"No it's not, Sango. I'm asking you to do me a favor by staying here and keeping an eye on Kagome. It's not safe for her to stay with me anymore, and I would feel better if you stayed here. Please," he added for extra emphasis.

Sango huffed but finally agreed. Inuyasha glanced up at her to let her know how much he appreciated it, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glance of what he had been avoiding.

Kagome wasn't eating anymore. Her plate was still very full, so it couldn't be that she was finished. She also had her head hung so low that her chin touched her chest. Inuyasha couldn't even see if her eyes were open or not. A terrible feeling came over him in that moment. He felt a knot tighten in his chest. He needed to see her face, but what would he find there? One thing was for sure, something was wrong with her. Inuyasha could feel it in his very bones.

"Ka-Kagome?" His voice shook with nervousness.

She said nothing. Kagome stood up, all the while keeping her face shielded, and left the kitchen. What was wrong with her?

Inuyasha moved to stand up but as he was midway between the sitting and standing, a hand caught him and pulled him down to his seat. Inuyasha looked at the hand, then arm, all the way up to a pair of eyes staring hard at him. Miroku shook his head and stood up.

"I'll go. I'm sure it's nothing." With that, the rest of them ate in silence. Inuyasha was uneasy and hardly touched a bite. After choking down a cup of coffee, Inuyasha excused himself and left to get his bags. As he walked farther down the halls, the tightness in his chest increased with every step. Something in his gut told him he was making a wrong choice. But how could that be? This would keep everyone safe. He could move faster and, if the situation called for it, flee quicker. What could possibly be wrong?

----------------------------

Kagome ran as fast as her legs could carry her. The walls around her blurred with unshed tears. 'I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't cry,' she chanted to herself. Finally, a door to the outside came within view and Kagome slammed into it at full speed. She buckled a bit, but with her goal just in reach, she found her bearings and pulled the door open.

The cool morning air hit her skin. The moisture in her eyes suddenly rolled down her cheeks. A tree was in her view and without hesitation, Kagome grabbed the lowest branch and hoisted herself up into its hidden embrace.

Kagome wasn't very sure how long she sat there crying and feeling all those old emotions she had fought so hard to rid herself of, come back. He was leaving her. Had she done something wrong? Kagome knew in the forefront of her mind that it was silly and childish to have such thoughts. She knew he was just trying to keep her and the others safe. If she knew that Inuyasha had great, logical reasons, why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel as if she was being left behind? Why couldn't she stop feeling as if she would never see him again?

"Kagome." A booming voice came from beneath her.

At first, it was very startling to hear Sesshoumaru's voice instead of Miroku, Rin or Sango. She had barely spoken to him. He was the last person she expected to hear. Kagome struggled hard to stop the tears and, after a minute, she won the battle.

"Yes?" Her voice trembled but she held it steady enough to be heard.

"May I join you?" As unusual of a request as that was, Kagome couldn't say no. Sesshoumaru had an air of authority about him that said, 'If you want to live, you will say "yes".' So, she scooted over on the branch and offered him a hand to help him up.

Ignoring the help, Sesshoumaru grabbed a branch and flung himself up beside Kagome with agility. It amazed Kagome how easily he could move in a three piece suit, but she didn't concentrate on that for very long. The thought that seemed to whirl around her brain was to question why he was here in the first place.

Sesshoumaru stayed quiet for a few minutes but Kagome didn't say anything, either. He seemed to be trying to get his words in order, so she let him have his silence.

At last, she could take no more, and spoke. "How did you know where to find me?"

Without turning in her direction, he answered. "Inuyasha used to hide in this tree as did I. It is a good place to hide and find some peace."

"Why are you here? I mean, you can go anywhere you want because it's your home. I'm just wondering why you're wasting your time with me when you probably have better things to do." He continued to stare off into the distance.

"There is a car waiting for you in the garage. It has all your belongings, a map, a cell phone and GPS navigation with a beacon telling you exactly where Inuyasha is. He only left a half-hour ago. If you leave now, you could catch up with him."

Sesshoumaru jumped from the tree and landed perfectly on his feet. Kagome sat in the tree and watched his retreating back for a few moments before it finally struck her what he meant. She had a way to follow Inuyasha whether he wanted her to or not. Could she really do that? Could she jump from the tree and run to him? What would he do if she did? Would he be angry and turn her away?

There were so many questions but Kagome could only register one. Would she be able to live with herself if she let him go?

No.

Kagome jumped from the sheltering tree, and landed with much less grace than Sesshoumaru had displayed. She ran as fast as she could around the house and to the gigantic garage. The door was already open, and as she rounded the corner and went inside, she could see someone leaning on a car just inside. It was Rin and she had a smile on her face and a set of keys in her hand.

"I wanted to show you how the GPS worked and wish you good luck."

Kagome rushed to Rin and scooped the smaller woman into a big hug. "Thank you," said Kagome through small hiccups of happiness. It felt as if she would never stop crying.

"I'm just glad you decided to take Sesshoumaru up on his offer," she replied. Rin leaned back and took Kagome's face in her hands.

"Go to him. He needs you more than you know. I've never seen him as happy as he is with you by his side." Rin pulled a shocked Kagome into a short hug, and gave her the keys.

After a few minutes of explanation, Kagome cranked the car and started to pull from the garage. But then, she stopped and turned worried eyes to Rin.

"What about Miroku and Sango? Won't they wonder where I am?"

Rin smiled and leaned into the window. "Don't worry. I'll explain it to them."

Kagome smiled back and after another 'thank you', she was off to find the man of her dreams and never let him go.

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Inuyasha was already on the interstate. The heaviness in his gut grew stronger and stronger until he was sure it would kill him. If he wasn't positive that he was doing the right thing, he would have already turned around and snatched Kagome from wherever she was. He hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. The more he thought about it, the more he was glad he didn't get the chance. It was already hard. If he had to look at her, into those eyes that melted your soul, he wouldn't have left without her. Actually, he would have scooped her up, and taken her to his home in the mountains. He would have locked her in a room, and never let her leave.

Inuyasha turned on the music to try and clear his mind. It worked a little, but the tightness still had a hold of him, and his instincts were screaming at him to turn back. In a moment of weakness, Inuyasha looked into the rear-view mirror. There wasn't much back there; just a few cars and the shrinking buildings of Charlotte. Still, he pulled his eyes back to the road and tried not to feel like he was watching something else fade away into the distance. He turned the music up until he was sure he would pop a speaker, and tried to will himself to go forward.

Hours later, Inuyasha found that his stomach was starting to throw a fit. He was just before the border of South Carolina and Georgia. He was making good time, and decided that a quick stop for some sustenance would be okay. He pulled off the interstate and found a fast-food place quickly. Pulling into the drive-through, Inuyasha noticed a black car pull in behind him. It was a very beautiful car. The windows were tinted to an illegal amount, but who was he to say anything. He was driving a car that was well past its legal limits for tint, as well. It was Sesshoumaru's car and all of his half-brother's cars were like that.

Inuyasha ordered, paid, and grabbed his food within minutes. He pulled back on the interstate and noticed that the same car from the drive-through was still behind him. Whoever it was, they must be traveling, as well. Inuyasha felt a little shiver slide up his spine when he realized that he had seen the same car before he even left North Carolina. He was being followed.

Inuyasha quickly pulled back off the interstate, making the cars around him slam on the breaks. His suspicion was confirmed. The black car was still on his tail.

Inuyasha tried to outmaneuver the car by weaving in-between the buildings of whatever town he had turned into, but it seemed that it didn't matter what he did. Every time he thought he had gotten away, the black car was right behind him in only a few minutes. It was like the guy could see through walls. Inuyasha managed to pull into an abandoned parking lot as his last resort. If he had to, he would confront the guy.

As he had assumed it would, the black car turned into the lot, but the driver seemed hesitant to pull the car in any further. Inuyasha pulled the gun he always carried out of the console, and put it in the holster between his leather jacket and white tee-shirt. He stepped out of his car and slammed his door. When he had gotten within ten feet of the black car, it started to back up and tried to pull out of the parking lot. Inuyasha was faster. This guy was an amateur.

Inuyasha ran up to the side of the car and flung the door open. At the sight of Kagome looking at him with frightened eyes, Inuyasha backed away and let himself fall to his knees. He thought about the few seconds that had ticked away earlier when he had thought about just shooting at the tires of the car and leaving the driver to fend for themself. He closed his eyes to the onslaught of images that flashed in front of his eyes. He could have injured or even…He couldn't even allow himself to think about it.

As the surprise wore off, Inuyasha became angry. He opened his eyes, and got to his feet. If Kagome had a car, it wasn't because she had stolen it. This was one of Sesshoumaru's cars, and for Kagome to have it meant that his loathed half-brother had given it to her.

"Kagome, get out of the car," he ground out. He had meant for it to come out a lot less tense than that, but, under the circumstances, he felt he was doing well. He hadn't shot anything yet and wasn't cursing anyone. It was only a matter of time, though.

Kagome was slightly scared. She wasn't afraid that Inuyasha would hurt her, she was afraid that he would cast her aside for her foolishness. Halfway between leaving, and catching up with Inuyasha, she decided that she had made a mistake. The only thing that kept her from turning around all together was the thought that she might never see Inuyasha again. She was very sure that that would happen either way, now.

Kagome had never seen Inuyasha so mad. She did as she was told and stepped out of the car. She had yet to speak, but decided that it was better to hold her tongue until he directed a question or statement at her that needed a response.

The first thing Inuyasha did was disable the link between his car and the one in Kagome's possession. The cell phone Sesshoumaru had given Kagome was setting in the seat. He picked it up and scrolled through the contacts list. There was his personal cell phone, Sesshoumaru's cell and home phone and Rin's cell. He chose Sesshoumaru's cell and waited.

"Sesshoumaru Tanaka."

"You piece of shit, bastard. If anything would have happened to her, I would have gutted you, and left your bowels to the birds. How dare you allow her to do something so risky?" Inuyasha's voice dripped venom and he let all his anger and hatred coat his words.

"She is safe, yes?"

"No fucking thanks to you. How could you? I would have never let Rin do such a thing." The only way to get Sesshoumaru to understand anything was to relate the situation to Rin.

"I have had everything under control since the moment she left. I have had a personal guard of mine following her. I doubt she even noticed. I doubt you even noticed. If anything would have happened, another of my people would have seen it from a live feed camera inside the car. You and the one following her would have been alerted, immediately."

Well, it seemed like Sesshoumaru had everything under control, other than the fact that Kagome was now in a situation that he didn't want her in. It didn't matter that his brother had never let Kagome be in any real danger. He was still livid that his brother had pulled such a stunt.

"Call someone to come get your car. I hope someone has taken everything off it by the time you get it. I'll drive Kagome back tomorrow morning. If you let her leave there again, I'll kill you. I don't care if you have the whole military escorting her next time. If she leaves, you die."

Inuyasha hung up the phone. He sighed and rubbed his clenched eyes with the pads of his fingers. Kagome was fine so it would do nothing to help anyone for him to dwell on 'what ifs'. Inuyasha finally looked up at Kagome after he was sure he had softened the expression on his face. She was standing with her back to him, looking at the sky.

"Come on Kagome, let's go get a hotel room. I'll take you back tomorrow."

"No," she whispered.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Was she crazy? Did she want to stand out here all night, and get beaten to death by hobos trying to pull the wheels off Sesshoumaru's car?

"I mean no, Inuyasha." Kagome spun around. She wasn't going to let him take her back. She placed her hands on her hips and waited with a determined glare. It was about time she was stubborn, and put her foot down.

"Kagome, get in the car." Inuyasha spoke softly but the growl in his words made the request sound like an order. This was not going well.

"Oh, I'll get in the car. I'll even go to the hotel with you, but you are not taking me back tomorrow. I'm staying with you."

"The hell you are! I left you there because this is dangerous. I'm taking you back and that's final." Inuyasha looked in the car and saw that a few bags were in it. He grabbed them from the back seat and started toward his car. Kagome followed him, and grabbed the bags from his hands.

"If you take me back, I'll just follow you again. I don't need Sesshoumaru's help. If I have to scale the walls of that damn place, I will. You can't stop me. It's illegal to hold a person against their will."

Inuyasha tried to tower over her and stare her down, but no matter how fearsome he made himself, Kagome didn't back down.

"Get in the car and we'll talk about this at the hotel."

"Do you promise?" Kagome looked as if she wasn't going to take no for an answer, but maybe if they could both calm down, he could get her to see reason.

"Yes, I promise. Now will you get in the damn car? I'm tried and cranky, and so are you."

Kagome handed him her bags, and got into the car. Never once did her determined glare falter.

Inuyasha popped the trunk and placed the bags inside. Once inside his car, he let his eyes close for a moment before glancing at Kagome. She had her arms crossed over her chest and looked straight ahead.

'How the hell am I supposed to convince someone as stubborn as me to see reason?'

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Sesshoumaru walked into his home and put his briefcase on the floor. He took off his suit jacket and hung it up in the closet next to the door. The next things to go were his shoes. It was raining outside and if he had tromped mud through the house, Rin would have strung him up by his ears.

Once he was adequately ready to walk through the house, Sesshoumaru picked up his briefcase and made his way to his study. He would spend a few hours there until his beautiful wife called him for dinner. It was mundane and routine but it worked for them. They were happy together, and that's all that mattered. 'Well,' he thought. 'That and really great sex.'

As Sesshoumaru sat down at his desk, he wondered if Kagome would really be back in his home the next day. Inuyasha had made it very clear that he would return her, but somehow, Sesshoumaru doubted that Kagome would go without a fight. Maybe he would call in the morning and see what had happened between the two of them. If Sesshoumaru's hunch was right, he could get some gloating in on his brother.

An hour and a half later, Sesshoumaru heard a soft knock on his door.

"Enter."

Rin let herself in and walked over to him. She sat in front of him on the desk and demanded his attention all the while keeping a small smile on her lips.

"I told her cousin what happened."

"And…," he questioned.

"And…he wasn't particularly happy."

"That is none of my concern. I am trying to get my brother out of a slump and at the same time, make that cousin of his shake off her fears. I can't promise everyone's happiness."

Rin smile brightened. "I think I said something of the sort. He really just needed to be reassured that Inuyasha would keep her safe."

"So, is that all you came to tell me?" Sesshoumaru stood and threw an intimidating gaze at his wife. As usual, Rin flushed and licked her lips.

"I also came to tell you that I set up a lovely dinner outside for Sango and Miroku. I think they have feelings for each other. I gave them a gentle nudge. Since they're dinning together, I set up something for us in our bedroom. And after dinner," Rin stood up and walked toward the door, "I have a special dessert for you."

Sesshoumaru smirked, and followed his wife to their bedroom.

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Thanks for all the continued support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was very fun to write another argument between Kagome and Inuyasha. Tell me what you think. I hoped you like the fallout. There's more to come in the next chapter. Passion is a word that could go with all emotions. My favorites are anger and lust. Oops, did I just hint?

jflorea: Hi again Jimmy. I talk to you everyday so I don't really know what to say. Oh, look at that. I'm a poet and I didn't know it. lol. They will talk a little more in the next chapter. Maybe they'll get somewhere this time. I don't know. I haven't really decided how far they will get, but I'm excited! I haven't let dad touch the power tools again. My honey's been doing everything and I'll get to paint soon. Yay!!! I'll talk to ya soon. You're very welcome and I'm glad you liked it. Tell me if you like this one.


	16. Chapter 15

Here's the newest installment. If you likey or hate...y, let me knowy. Sorry, it's late where I am and I think my sense of humor is nonexistent at this hour.

Special thanks to Kathy-kins. She's so great. Don't you all love that all my weird mistakes are fixed now? I know I love it and I feel better about my work. Everyone thank Kathy-kins!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha of any of the other characters that I bend to my own maniacal will.

_Italics are Japanese_

Chapter 15:

Verbal Contract

Inuyasha chose the tallest hotel that was closest to them at the time. He practically barreled into the parking lot having lost none of his earlier anger. First and foremost, he was furious with his brother. It didn't matter that Kagome had been safe the entire time. She was in danger if she stayed with him. He couldn't go through that again. He couldn't watch someone hurt her again. Secondly, he was a bit pissed at Kagome. Did the woman have no sense of self-preservation? He didn't really understand what was going on in that head of hers. Why would she want to follow him into a situation that could potentially mean a repeat of what had already happened? He mentally shuddered at that thought. Had it only been less than twenty-four hours ago that she was crying in his arms?

Inuyasha slung Kagome's car door open and practically hurled the keys at the valet attendant. Kagome's face was still contorted with anger. She didn't even look at him when she stepped out of the car and stomped as a child would into the hotel lobby. He followed her with a heated gait of his own.

"Two for the night," Inuyasha bellowed at the woman at the counter.

"She didn't do anything to you, Inuyasha. No need to growl at the poor woman." Inuyasha swung around and locked eyes with a very upset Kagome and matched her scowl with one of his own. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned back around to hand the woman at the counter his credit card.

"Feh!"

With two keycards in his hand, Inuyasha took Kagome by the elbow and practically dragged her into the elevator. Halfway up, he remembered her fear of elevators and sighed. When he finally looked at her, he was a bit shocked to see that she was still seething. 'She must be so angry with me that she forgot that we were in an elevator.' He almost laughed out loud, but thought better of it.

The elevator chimed that it was on the requested floor and Kagome's head snapped up. Her eyes held a glimmer of terror but it soon passed when she realized that she was safe. They stepped out and Inuyasha promptly grabbed her elbow again. Kagome pouted at him but he refused to let up on her until they were safely in their room.

He had a feeling they would get calls from the front desk in a few minutes asking them to keep it down. This was going to be a knockdown, drag out fight that would make the one in her office seem like child's play. They were both stubborn and hardheaded and they had both made up their minds.

Inuyasha escorted her through the door after opening it and hung the 'do not disturb' sign on the outside of the door before closing and locking it. He turned to Kagome to find that she was nowhere in sight.

"Kagome?"

"I'm checking out the room. Do you want something to drink?"

"They got a mini bar?"

"Yeah, what do you want?"

"Just throw some liquor in a glass with some ice."

Kagome was still angry, but she was going to try to butter him up a bit. She had to stall anyway. He was going to want to know why she had followed him, and why she wanted to stay, and she wasn't sure she could tell him why, now. He looked so angry. Maybe it had been a mistake all along. Maybe she should tell him that she would go back to his brother's house. That would keep him from asking her questions that she wasn't ready to answer. Even if she had admitted the truth to herself, admitting it to him was a whole other story.

Kagome made Inuyasha a scotch on the rocks and made herself a Captain Morgan's and cranberry juice. She walked back into the main room to find Inuyasha sitting on the bed, with his head in his hands.

"Here you go," Kagome said, and handed him his scotch.

"I know you told me that we'd talk about this little situation of ours when we got here, but I sense you have no intention of letting me try to convince you to let me stay."

Inuyasha took a gulp of his drink and looked into the glass.

"That was the original plan, but now I've decided that I'll at least hear you out before I take you back tomorrow."

Kagome scowled and sat across from him on a tacky sofa.

"All that means is that you're going to let me argue with you for an hour and still try to take me back." Something told Kagome to put up a fight. She had to at least give it a shot. The thought of going back to his brother's house and spending time there without him made her want to panic. That, and she just couldn't stand to be told what to do. Sure, he was her protector, but did that mean that he could be her drill sergeant? 'I don't think so,' she sung in her head.

"So why is it that I should let you come with me? I'm really ready to hear this one."

"Because I want to, that's why." Kagome folded her arms over her chest again and glared at the wall to her left. 'Smooth move Kagome. That'll convince him.'

As if on cue, Inuyasha chuckled. He stood up from the bed and knelt in front of Kagome, taking her hands. Once Inuyasha knew he had her attention, he began the speech he had gone over in his head on the way to the hotel.

"Kagome, I know that you wanted to go to New Orleans. Hell, I would too, if I were in your shoes. I mean, who really wants to hang out with my idiot brother?"

Kagome let a small giggle out, but tried to remain steadfast.

"I really want you to let me take you back. I need to know that you're safe. I can't let you get hurt like that again. You're too…", 'important to me', he thought.

Inuyasha's throat had decided at precisely that moment, that it needed to loose all moisture. He took several gulps of air and tired again. He looked up to find Kagome hanging on his every word. It was as if she knew what he wanted to say.

"Anyway…," he said changing his line of thought. The crestfallen look on Kagome's face made him curse himself mentally.

"So you want me to go back so I'll be safe, right?"

"Of course. Why else would I want you to go back?"

Kagome stood up and shook Inuyasha's hands from her own. She paced for a minute before stopping and looking at a confused Inuyasha.

"What happened to that arrogant man that walked into my office? You told me that you would protect me and you've done so, thus far. What's the problem now? Did you get tired of me hanging around? Did I say something that made you angry?"

"It's none of those things Kagome. I just want you to be safe."

"You can keep me safe, Inuyasha. I don't know why you think you wouldn't…"

Kagome's rant dwindled off and a look of shock overtook her face. With her eyes wide, she pointed a shaky finger at Inuyasha.

"I know what this is about," she said in a loud whisper. "This is about me being upset last night. This is about the dream I had. You promised me you wouldn't get angry with yourself. I'm right, aren't I?"

Inuyasha lowered his head and clenched his fists.

"How could I not be angry with myself, Kagome? I'm the reason you're having those dreams. I'm the reason that filth touched you." His voice was shaky and low.

Kagome's vision became blurry with tears. She was so angry that he was doing this to himself. She stomped over to Inuyasha and pushed him to the bed. Towering over him as much as she could, Kagome poked him in the chest and began to speak.

"You idiot. I can't believe you're doing this. I don't care what you think, that was not your fault! It was that scumbag that's behind bars and Naraku's fault. Don't you dare take the blame. If you take all the blame for this, then what's left for Naraku? I won't let you do this, Inuyasha!"

"I know it's not all my fault but some of the weight falls on my shoulders! I shouldn't have taken you in that room with me. It was stupid and irresponsible."

Kagome narrowed her eyes and backed away to give him a little more room to move.

"Alright Inuyasha, you leave me no choice. Do you really what to know why I want to go with you?"

"Yes, I would like that very much." His attention was all hers. He folded his hands in his lap and waited patiently for her to sit on the couch across from him.

Kagome took a deep breath. "I want to come because the only way I will be safe is with you."

Inuyasha started to protest but Kagome stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"It doesn't matter if you don't believe that. The truth is that even if you don't think so, I do. What matters is that I feel the safest when I'm near you. I really, really want you to think about that for a second."

And there it was. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was most of it. She did feel safest when she was with Inuyasha. She didn't have nightmares and she could fight off the panic attacks that seemed to be triggered by any little thing lately. That was all the more reason to want to be here with him. It made the most sense, even if he thought differently.

Heeding Kagome's request, Inuyasha did think about what she said before retorting. He could tell that she wasn't just saying what she thought would change his mind. She really did believe that with him, she was the safest. Just hearing the words made his deflated pride swell. Everyone else just kept saying that it wasn't his fault. Kagome told him exactly what he needed to hear without even realizing it. She told him in a roundabout way that she still trusted him, and still had faith in his abilities. That was what he needed to hear.

After a few minutes of contemplation, Inuyasha sighed and started his well thought out reply.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay, I'll let you come to New Orleans with me."

"Really?"

"There are some conditions."

Kagome cocked her head and nodded. "What are they, and they better be reasonable."

"First and foremost, what ever I tell you to do, you do. I need you to do exactly as I say without questions."

"As long as you don't try to boss me around when it's not necessary, I have no problem with that."

"We'll talk about the definition of 'necessary' tomorrow."

Kagome rolled her eyes and nodded again.

"Second, I hope you're okay with us spending a lot of time together because I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"That's understandable, too."

"That's all I have for right now but if I think of anything else, I'll let you know."

Kagome saluted and put on a straight face. "Yes, Drill Sergeant!"

Inuyasha got up from the bed and narrowed his eyes. "Ha ha, very funny."

Kagome giggled and soon the two of them were laughing together.

'I hope you're right about me, Kagome', Inuyasha thought as his and Kagome's laughter settled down.

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Miroku woke up the next morning still angry. Granted, Rin had put him in a better mood by setting up a private dinner for Sango and him, but he was still angry.

A yawn beside him broke him from his foul mood instantly. He watched silently as Sango stretched and waited for her to open her eyes.

"Good morning", he said in a whisper.

Sango was startled for a moment before she remembered the night before. She'd had so much fun with Miroku at dinner, when he asked her if she would hang out with him in his room for a while, she'd agreed.

Sango couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. They had stayed up late and Miroku had tried to teach her some Japanese. She could only master a few things before they had both become sleepy. Instead of going to her own room, they had shared a bed together. Despite Miroku's tendencies to be a pervert at bad moments, she had enjoyed sharing the evening with him. Nothing intimate had happened, but she felt herself growing closer and more comfortable in his presence each and every day.

"Good morning", she whispered back. "I'd better get to my room and get ready for the day."

"Okay. How about you get ready and I'll see about breakfast."

Sango pulled the covers from her body and settled her feet on the cold, hardwood floor. She put her slippers on and stood up.

"All right, I'll see you in the kitchen in about twenty minutes."

"I'll be counting the seconds, Sango, my sweet."

"Yeah, yeah…", she said as she hurled a pillow at his face. He ducked just in time but when he tried to retaliate, Sango had already slipped from his room. He smiled and made a mental note to call Kagome after breakfast, before he began to get ready for the new day.

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Kagome was awake before the sun even filtered into the window of the hotel suite that Inuyasha had gotten for the night. She couldn't get back to sleep but told herself it was okay because she could sleep in the car if she needed to. After thinking about quite a few things, she remembered that she needed to check in with her secretary. She silently padded across the room and retrieved the cell phone Sesshoumaru had given her before she left. It was a good thing she had a good memory because she didn't have her personal cell phone with her and she needed to call Yura's home phone.

After dialing Yura's number, she waited for a few rings before a bubbly voice was heard.

"_Hello?"_

"_Hi Yura, it's Kagome. How is everything at work?"_

"_Oh, Miss Higarashi, everything is fine. All the clients agreed to come in at a later date. I told them that I would reschedule them as soon as you were back from tending to your 'family emergency'."_

"_Thanks for taking care of everything on such short notice. I know I left rather suddenly."_

"_It's okay. Where are you, anyway?"_

"_I'm in American. Actually, I'm on my way to New Orleans."_

"Who the hell are you talking to!?"

Kagome turned around only to come face to face with a very annoyed, silver-headed male.

"Goodness, Inuyasha, you scared me."

"Who are you talking to," he asked in a lower tone. He was clenching his fists and his whole body seemed to shake with tension.

Kagome was confused but she answered the question, all the while listening to Yura ask her who she was talking to.

"My secretary. I was just checking up on my practice."

"Hang up the phone, Kagome. Now."

Kagome stared at him, as if he had grown another head for a few seconds before she remembered their conversation the night before. She had agreed to do everything he asked of her. It seemed unreasonable, but she wasn't about to argue with him when he could still take her back to North Carolina.

"_I have to go; I'll call you back later."_

Kagome closed the phone and Inuyasha grabbed it from her.

"What was that all about?" she asked, with annoyance in her voice.

"Did she know that we were in China?"

"Well, yes. I told her where I was, in case there was a problem with rescheduling my clients."

Inuyasha shook his head. "So you not only told her that we were in China, you also told her what hotel and what room number in that hotel."

Kagome was beginning to piece it all together. Slowly the puzzle pieces started to form a complete picture.

"You think…"

"She's the only one besides my brother who knew exactly where we were."

"What do we do, now? I…I just told her everything! I'm so sorry Inuyasha. I don't know what I was thinking."

Inuyasha could see the tears start to form in her clear, blue eyes. He hadn't meant for her to become so upset. He just wanted her to realize what was going on. His face softened and he grabbed her in a hug before she could become hysterical.

"Shhh, Kagome. Don't cry. It's okay. If I work fast, we can fix this. I'll call my brother and he'll help. Everything is going to be all right."

Kagome stopped her tears. "Are you sure? I know I really messed up. Can you really fix it?"

Inuyasha craned his neck so he could look down at her. "Of course I can. Don't worry. I'll call Sessh right now. You just take that menu over there, and order us some breakfast."

Kagome sniffled and nodded. When she was out of hearing range, he dialed Sesshoumaru's number.

"Tanaka."

"Sessh, I have a major problem."

"Is Kagome okay?"

Inuyasha ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Yeah, she's fine. I'm not taking her back, by the way, so you'll be happy about that."

"A wise choice. Now, what is the matter?"

"I know who's been telling Naraku where we are."

"Who? I'll get on it right away."

"It's Kagome's secretary. I think her name's Yura. It could be an alias, though. I don't think she knows that I've figured it out, but we really need to get this taken care of, as soon as possible. I happened to hear Kagome talking to her a few minutes ago, and before I could stop her, she had already spilled where we were headed."

"If Kagome can allow me access to her office files, I'll figure something out."

"Kagome, can Sesshoumaru have access to your office files," he yelled into the next room, where Kagome was waiting for him to finish his call.

"Yes," she answered.

"She said that it's okay."

"I have some people that I can rely on in Japan. I'll have them help us out."

"Thanks asshole."

"You're quite welcome, ingrate. By the way, I got a call from Myoga this morning. He's home and doing well. You should give him a call today."

"All right, I'll do that when Kagome and I stop for lunch. I got to go. Keep me updated, dumbass."

"Same to you, bastard."

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Thank you all for being so patient with this chapter. I've actually been calling this 'the doomed chapter' but I sort of had a good night last night. I hope y'all like it. As always, please review. Let me know what you like and what you don't like. Honestly, I had Sesshoumaru and Rin help Kagome out on a whim. I originally planned for Kagome to steal a car and go all reckless, but this was more fun. I love to write about the relationship between Sessh and Inu. They're so much fun. Kagome has always been strong, she just needed Inu to help her realize her potential. Sorry about the false advertising in my last response. I had planned on them to get a little action this chapter but it didn't feel right. I'll get to it soon though. Oh, the plans I have. lol.

Inulover1253: Thanks for the review. I hope you continue to read and let me know if you still enjoy it.

Jflorea: Yay! Jimmy! I'm so glad you liked it. I think I look forward to your reviews the most because you know me and it wouldn't be a big deal for you to say that you hated it with the passion of a thousand suns. I'm glad you liked the Sessh twist. I had thought about Rin finding her but I love to write the (sort of) nice side to Sesshoumaru. Everyone seems to enjoy my take on Sessh and Inu's relationship so I try to throw in as much as I can. Thanks for the vote of confidence for next quarter. It would be cool get acknowledged in that aspect but I just love that I was even thought of. Thanks Jimmy. Oh yeah, I'll e-mail you back tomorrow if I can. So…sleepy…can't…type… lol.

RavenShadow: Thank you very much for even reviewing now. I appreciate the thought. I'm so glad that you're enjoying my story and I hope I can continue to a good job.

Em: I'm happy that you love it. Don't worry; I plan on finishing this story. They do need each other. I keep trying to get some fluff in there, but it never sounds right. It always seems rushed but hopefully, I'll give you guys some in the next few chapters. Me and Kathy-kins came up with something very cool and I just know y'all are gonna love it! Thanks for the review.

LoVe23: I'm sorry. I never realized writing those two could be so fun. They just asked for it, didn't they! I hope I can give you some more Sessh/Rin fluff later. Keep your fingers crossed.


	17. Chapter 16

Have fun with this next chapter. Let me know it you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or anything that is affiliated with it.

Chapter 16:

Phone Calls and Restaurants

As promised, Inuyasha called Myoga after breakfast. While he was in the middle of his conversation, Kagome received a call, as well. She let Inuyasha see that it was from his brother's house before answering it.

"Hello?"

"Hi Kagome! I've been so worried. How are you? Are you okay? When are you coming back?"

Kagome giggled at her cousin's frantic voice. She should have called him before now but she had been so caught up in the fact the Inuyasha had let her stay. Of course he was worried. She would have been worried about him if the situation had been reversed.

"I'm fine Miroku. Inuyasha is with me. I'm staying with him. I won't be back for a few days, at least."

"Kagome, that was the stupidest thing you have ever done! Do you know how worried I was? I can't believe you did something so dangerous. You could have been hurt or killed. I just about punched Sesshoumaru when he told me."

Kagome giggled again. "I was just fine the whole time. I should have called sooner but there was no need to worry so much. Sesshoumaru had me followed. I was perfectly safe. I don't see you punching Sesshoumaru, either. That's completely against your whole passive-aggressive way of life. You couldn't harm a fly, and you know it."

"Yeah well, I'm still mad at you. You could have at least told me yourself you were leaving. I could have gone with you."

Kagome sighed. She looked at Inuyasha who was finished with his call and wondered if she would have done things differently, now that she had all the facts. Inuyasha turned and smiled at her and she made her decision. She wouldn't have done anything differently. She was all alone with Inuyasha and nothing could be better than that.

"There was no time, Miroku. It was a split-second decision. Sesshoumaru presented me with an opportunity and I took it."

It was Miroku's turn to sigh. "I'm mad at you but I guess I'm kind of proud in a way."

"Proud? What the hell are you talking about?" Kagome caught a questioning glare from Inuyasha but didn't pay any attention to it.

"I'm proud of you for deciding to go for what you want. It was a very un-Kagome move. It's about time you did something for yourself."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"And I'll pretend I don't know why you decided to jump in a car and chase a man across two states."

Kagome scowled. "That would be a wise choice."

"Alright, as long as you're safe, I'll call you later."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

Kagome snapped the cell phone closed, and put it on the table.

"How's Myoga?" she asked while trying to shovel eggs into her mouth.

"He's fine. He said he's very sore, but the doctors put him on some awesome pain killers. He said that he can't feel anything for two hours after taking his medication."

Kagome paused in her shoveling long enough to crack a smile. "I'll bet he's pretty happy."

"Yeah, I'm just glad he's okay."

The two sat silently, motionless for a moment. Then, they went back to finishing their breakfast.

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Sesshoumaru paced across his study. He hated to wait. Waiting for news was the worst. Waiting for news meant that you didn't know everything. There was nothing he hated more than that. As he paced, he wondered what his brother would find in New Orleans. He wondered if Inuyasha and Kagome would be attacked once again or if everything would go smoothly. Which of these two things would come to pass depended entirely on a call he was waiting to receive. Sesshoumaru hated to wait.

A hesitant knock on his study door broke his stride. It wasn't Rin, because she would have just let herself in.

"Enter."

Miroku cracked the door open and peeked inside. Once Sesshoumaru found out who it was, he motioned Miroku in and then walked around his desk to sit.

Miroku shut the door behind himself, and then had a seat across from his host.

"I was wondering if you had heard from your brother."

"Yes, he called me early this morning. They're fine, if that's what you wanted to know. She really is in good hands. I would not have sent her after him if I didn't think so."

Miroku massaged his brow with the tips of his fingers and nodded his head.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just worried. I've been looking after her for so long, it's hard to let someone else do it."

"I completely understand your situation. I have been looking after my little brother for a while now. Not as long as I should have, but I still have a hard time not worrying about him."

They stayed silent for a moment until Sesshoumaru decided that it was Kagome's cousin's right to know everything that was going on.

"Inuyasha called me last night to tell me something of concern."

Miroku's eyes widened and he willed Sesshoumaru to continue.

"What do you know of your cousin's secretary?"

Miroku was confused for a second, but then he shrugged.

"Her name is Yura. She's pretty nice. She's worked for Kagome for about four months. It's not a long time but she's a really hard worker. She always goes above and beyond. She's one of the only people Kagome really talks to beside me."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head as Miroku talked. "Inuyasha thinks that she is the mole."

"What do you mean, mole?"

"We were wondering how Naraku found you four in China. Apparently the only person who knew, besides the people who were supposed to know, was this Yura person. It's the only logical explanation. Inuyasha pieced it together this morning. He heard Kagome talking on the phone with her, telling Yura where they were headed."

Miroku let the information seep in.

"That does make sense. What are we going to do though? If Yura knows where they're going, she'll tell Naraku."

Sesshoumaru folded his hands on top of his desk.

"I have some people in Japan working on it. If we can intercept her before she has a chance to inform her boss, then there is not a problem. If we don't find her before…well, Inuyasha and Kagome will have some trouble once they reach their destination."

"When do we find out, either way?"

"Sometime today, hopefully."

"Will you let me know what's going on when you find out?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and stood.

"Of course; after I call Inuyasha and let him know, I'll find you and give you an update."

Miroku stood as well. They shook hands, and Miroku let himself out of Sesshoumaru's study.

After the door was closed, Sesshoumaru resumed his pacing.

"I hate waiting," he grumbled to himself.

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After breakfast, Inuyasha gathered their things and checked out of the hotel. After they were on the road for a half-hour, Kagome made good on her promise to herself, and settled in for a nap. They reached the Alabama state line and Inuyasha started to get hungry. It was well past lunch time but he hadn't noticed, trying to make good time. He pulled into a roadside diner and gently shook Kagome awake.

"Huh…?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"Are you hungry?"

Kagome sat up straighter in her seat, and looked around for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess I could eat something."

The two of them got out of the car, and walked into the diner. They sat at a booth at the back of the restaurant. Moments later a waitress walked up to their table and handed them menus.

"What'll y'all have to drink?" she asked with a raspy southern accent; one that you could only get from smoking way too many cigarettes.

"I'll have sweet tea," answered Kagome.

"Same," said Inuyasha as he opened his menu.

The waitress scribbled the drink order on her pad.

"Do y'all know what ya want yet?"

"Give us a few minutes," was all Inuyasha said, and sent the waitress on her way.

"What are you going to have?" asked Kagome. She had been looking at the menu but wasn't sure what some of the items were. What were grits, anyway?

"I think a big, fat, greasy burger is sounding really good right about now. Do you want healthy or good?"

Kagome giggled at his choice in food.

"I really should eat healthy, but I think I want good. What do you suggest?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment, as if he was making a life altering suggestion.

"Go with the patty melt and fries. A chocolate milkshake would go good with that."

"Then that's what I'll have," she said as she folded her menu up and placed it on the end of the table. "Where are we anyway?"

"Just inside of Alabama. It's not too far from here. I don't think we'll go into New Orleans tonight. I'm still waiting for Sesshoumaru to get back to me about Yura."

Kagome hung her head, and willed the tears not to roll down her cheeks. She couldn't believe how stupid she was. It made perfect sense when she thought about it. Why couldn't she have seen it as easy as Inuyasha did? Kagome was sure Inuyasha thought she was the biggest idiot in the world.

"Have ya decided yet?"

Inuyasha ordered for the both of them while Kagome still hung her head. He only noticed her mood change after the waitress had left.

"You okay?" he asked.

Kagome couldn't trust her words, lest they come from her mouth cracked with a sob, so she simply nodded instead.

Inuyasha watched her for a moment. She didn't seem fine, but what would be the cause for her not to be okay?

"Kagome, if there is something bothering you, you can tell me. You know that I…care about you," he said with a small choking sound. "If something is wrong, I would really want you to let me know. Maybe I can fix it."

It was still hard for him to say that he had feelings for her out loud. It was much harder than it had been in the heat of the moment in China. He had blurted it out without thinking, before. Now it was a calculated thought. He wondered what her reaction would be.

Kagome was stunned out of her foul mood by the little speech Inuyasha had just gifted her with. He did still have feelings for her, despite her doubt. It was enough that the tears evaporated and a smile found its way to her face. Her eyes were still glassy from moisture when she looked up at him, but not in a way that would make Inuyasha suspect something.

Once Inuyasha saw her very reassuring smile, he let her have one of his own. Just as she was about to open her mouth to reciprocate his feeling, the waitress came back with two plates of food and a milkshake, very thoroughly destroying the mood.

Inuyasha and Kagome remained silent throughout their meal. Neither one knew what to say to the other. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it was there, nonetheless. Inuyasha paid the bill and they left on their journey once again.

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Inuyasha and Kagome made it all the way past Jackson, Mississippi before stopping for the night. It wouldn't take them long to get to their destination the next day, so it was safe to go ahead and stop.

Instead of choosing one of the fancy hotels he would have normally stayed in, Inuyasha chose a place that rented small cottages. It would hopefully keep him and Kagome off the radar. Sesshoumaru had yet to call him back with any news concerning Yura, and he was a little apprehensive about the entire situation.

Inuyasha stepped out of the passenger seat of the car, and stretched his limbs. A few hours before Kagome had complained about being bored and wanted to drive. They hadn't had any mishaps so far, so Inuyasha figured it wouldn't hurt to cater to her this once. She had been very good at keeping to her word. Anything he asked her to do, she did without hesitation. Granted, none of the things he had asked so far had been life altering requests, he was still very impressed with her willingness to do as he asked. It backed up her confession that she still had faith in him to protect her, and make sure she was taken care of.

Inuyasha and Kagome pulled their respective bags from the trunk of the car and walked the twenty feet to the main building. Inuyasha held the door for her, and they walked over to the front desk.

"Two for the night," Inuyasha said as he was fishing out his credit card. Well, it wasn't his, but he was going to use it like it was.

The man behind the desk nodded and took the card from Inuyasha with his big, grubby hands. A few minutes later, Inuyasha was handed a small silver key with their room number dangling from a worn tag. Room number 27, it read.

Inuyasha grabbed his bags and one of Kagome's and walked out of the main building. The night air was cool and clean so he took a few deep breaths before walking towards their room. It only took a few minutes to find the old, tattered, green door with a gold number 27 nailed to it.

Inuyasha unlocked the door and they both eyed the room with some distain.

"Ugg…we have to stay here?" Kagome did not like what she saw. The whole room was covered in what could only be called 'puke pink'. The curtains, the bedspread and the couch were all the same 'puke pink' swirled with yellow and green. The carpet was the worst. Kagome assumed that at one time it was pink as well, but was now almost brown with stains. She hated to even look into the bathroom. She was beginning to hate pink.

"Sorry," mumbled Inuyasha. He hated it too, but it was one of the only places he found that was off the beaten trail, and somewhere he figured Naraku and his minions wouldn't look. "I'll try to find somewhere better next time. I'm sorry," he said once again.

Kagome whirled around at the sound of embarrassment in Inuyasha's voice.

"It's okay," she said. Kagome smiled and tried to get him to realize that she wasn't angry or disappointed in his choice. It was necessary to keep both of them safe. It didn't mean that she liked it, just that she understood. "Um, did you pack any extra sheets or blankets?"

Inuyasha winced when he realized he hadn't. It hit him in that moment how out of it he had been when he left his brother's house. He wondered for a second what else he forgot in his daze.

"I didn't, but we can go out in a minute to get some. It's past dinner time so I know you're hungry. I sure am."

Kagome's smile came back once more. "Can we go now? I'm so hungry I could eat a whale."

"Yeah, well I doubt they serve whale at any place here." His eyes lit up with laughter.

Kagome did her best to scowl, failing as she walked past him, towards the door, and swatted at his shoulder. "Hush, you. Just feed me."

Inuyasha did a mock bow and followed her from the room. "Yes, ma'am!"

They arrived at a very nice restaurant in the middle of town. It was small and cozy. The rooms were lit mostly from candlelight making it seem perfect for two people trying to stay low-key. The waiter seated them almost immediately, because there was hardly anyone in the building.

"There was a Japanese restaurant down the street, but I figured you would rather come here. What's the point in being in another country if you don't sample the food?"

Kagome gave a little smile from behind her menu. "You forget that I spent a lot of my childhood here."

"Yeah, that's right. If you spent so much time here, how is it that you have never had a patty melt?" The conversation was going well. Inuyasha just prayed it would stay that way. He was trying so hard to take Sango's advice. It seemed like forever ago that she had given it to him.

Kagome's smile turned into a giggle. "I lived in Maine, remember? Patty melts have got to be southern food. There are lots of things I have never had from the good ol' southern states."

"I bet you eat a lot of seafood. You lived in Maine and now you live in Japan. I hear they have the freshest seafood in the world."

They talked of quite a few things while they enjoyed dinner. The conversation was casual, but the thoughts that went through each of their heads were anything but. Inuyasha kept thinking that he couldn't have gotten so lucky, and Kagome was thinking that she wished she would have met him sooner. He was so easy to be around and made her feel as if her life was worth living. He was so handsome and brave that sometimes she felt as if she were living in a dream.

Kagome was in mid thought when Inuyasha dropped a bombshell on her.

"…and I was thinking that I could show you how to handle one."

Kagome's eyes grew to be as big as saucers, and her throat went dry. "Excuse me?" she squeaked.

Inuyasha was completely taken aback. Why in the world was she acting so strange? No man wanted the woman next to him not to be able to use one correctly. In this day and age, women should be taught young.

"What's wrong? We could go get you one of your own. I'm sure we could find a shop without any problem."

Kagome closed her eyes, and let her breath roll through her lips slowly. Surely he could not be talking about what she thought he was talking about.

"Start over, Inuyasha. I'm sorry, but I was in my own world when you started this train of thought. Tell me from the beginning what you're talking about."

Inuyasha scowled. "I'm talking about teaching you how to handle a gun."

Kagome let the breath she was holding gust from her lungs and she smiled.

"What in the hell did you think I was talking about?"

Well, she was not about to explain that. "I didn't know what you were talking about. I was confused." She tried to smooth the look on her face into one of innocence.

Inuyasha didn't buy in but he let it slide, for now. "Okay, so…what do you think? I'm sure there's a firing range close. We could get you a gun and let you shoot it. I could teach you how to clean it tonight. It's not that late," he said as he looked at his watch.

Kagome was skeptical but she knew why he would suggest such a thing. If she knew how to fire a weapon, she could protect herself if anything happened. She hated violence but she could see his logic. Kagome sighed and looked into his molten eyes.

"Okay."

"Thanks for doing this," he said after a minute. "I would feel much better if you did this. I'll get the check."

Kagome felt something in her chest at his gratitude. It felt like her heart had swelled to twice the size that it should be. Her throat felt as if her heart's new size had somehow made it close up slightly. It felt like…pure happiness. It was an odd feeling but something that she instinctively knew was a great feeling. She wanted him happy, and she vowed from that second forward that she would do everything she could to make him happy.

With Kagome's new purpose in life in tow, both she and Inuyasha made their way to the car to find a gun dealer at eight in the evening, and perhaps some sheets.

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I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. I'm still full. Having a large family is good, except when they all show up at your house to eat. We were packed tighter than sardines. I thought it was cute as well. It was fun to write, too. I love writing Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's conversations. It's so fun and they've kind of taken a life of there own now. I fell like I'm not even writing them anymore. The words just flow through. I'm glad you like the 'endearments'. Thanks for the review.

kakaronagomu: Wow, what an interesting name! I thought about doing the mole situation as you have said it but that would be too easy. I want them to squirm some trying to figure it out. If you want that Inu held her all night, go for it. Sometimes I like to let the readers imaginations led the way. Thanks for the review and I hope you will continue to read and let me know what you think.

jflorea: Hiya Jimmy! I'm so glad you still take time to review even though I talk to you about every other day. You so get me with the whole Inu/Kag thing. That's exactly what I was going for. As for the mole thing, I just must be a sneaky wench. LOL! I can't decide what I want Sessh to do to her but I think I got something really good. As I said to InuGoddess715, the Sessh/Inu encounters sort of write themselves. I just have to get them in a conversation and the words just fly to the page. I'm doing with Miroku and Sango what I'm doing with Kagome and Inuyasha, only backwards. Does that make sense? Well if you don't get it, no one will. I talk to ya later Jimmy. Thanks for the review.

Inulover1253: Thanks for still reading and thanks for the review.

animaygurl: I'm glad you like it so much and I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. The holidays keep me pretty busy so I may not be writing too much but I will try to get the updates to you guys as soon as I can. Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like it so much. Everyone seems to like the Sessh and Inu parts so I think I will keep writing them. Besides, they're fun to write! Sango and Miroku are hard to write for me, but I hope I'm doing okay. Thanks for the review.

mysteryman2000: Thanks for the review.

salior-saturn550: Thanks for the review. I love your penname by the way.


	18. Chapter 17

AN: I would like to give a warning now. There is no lime or lemon in this chapter but there is an explicit make out scene. If anyone is uncomfortable with this, then please don't read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and I make no monetary gain for writing this.

Chapter 17

Stolen Kisses

After a quick trip to a store that sold both guns and sheets, (you have to love those mega marts) Kagome and Inuyasha found their way back to the rundown motel where they were staying the night.

Inuyasha wasted no time setting Kagome down at a table with her new gun and teaching her the ins and outs of proper pistol care. They sat side by side as Inuyasha lectured her on keeping it clean, and remembering to always check the chamber of a gun without a clip.

Even though Inuyasha had made the whole thing sound boring, Kagome was enjoying herself. She loved hearing him talk. His voice was soothing and sexy. It made tingles shoot down her spine when he hit a low octave. Just seeing him handle a gun was strangely erotic. Violence was never, never, Kagome's thing, but she couldn't help herself.

Right in the middle of the lesson, Inuyasha's phone rang.

"Keep practicing. I'll be done in a second."

Kagome nodded and continued trying to perfect dismantling the gun. It was much smaller than the one Inuyasha used, but she liked the fact that it was small. He told her it wouldn't do much good from far ranges. However, he stressed that the point was not killing, but to injure enough to run away to safety. Kagome didn't mind that at all. She wasn't excited about shooting someone, but if it could keep her safe, and Inuyasha's mind clear, she would do what was necessary.

Inuyasha left Kagome's hearing range before he answered the call. It was from his 'big brother' and whatever the news was, he didn't want Kagome to hear until all the facts were presented.

"Hey. Did you find her?"

"And good evening to you as well, little brother."

"Just spill it already!"

"We found her a few hours ago. She was coming home from some kind of club."

"Did you catch her in time?"

"We're not sure," sighed Sesshoumaru. This was not going to go well. He could already tell from the elevated puffs of breath coming from the other end of the phone.

"What do you mean 'you're not sure'?" Inuyasha was tired of all the tiptoeing around. If Sesshoumaru didn't say something soon, he was liable to blow a gasket.

"We have her in custody but she is unwilling to cooperate. She will not even speak to say that she needs to relieve herself. All she does is hum little tunes. It's all very strange."

Inuyasha frowned. He never expected this. "She's a real professional. I figured she was just some girl that Naraku bought off. No, she was a pro who was hired to do a job. Don't expect her to speak. We need another plan."

The two brothers stayed silent for a while, each trying to formulate a way out of the situation they were in. If they just held her as they had been, there was no way they were going to get anywhere.

"What if we let her go?"

"I spent an ungodly amount of time trying to find the woman. I will not just 'let her go'", mocked Sesshoumaru.

"I don't think it will work, but if we let her go, she may lead us somewhere. Then, your goons can follow her. Everyone screws up once in their life. She may give something away."

Sesshoumaru thought about this for a moment and then gave in.

"Very well, but only if you take the most extreme precautions you can. I don't want you haunting me if you die. Besides, I think Kagome's cousin will try to murder me in my sleep if she doesn't come back in the exact condition she left."

Inuyasha turned and looked at the most important person in his whole existence. He felt a shiver roll down his spine as he thought about anything happening to her. She was his life. If he had to, he would give his own for hers.

Inuyasha clamped his teeth together and answered his brother. "No one will lay a hand on her."

"I will be in touch."

And just like that, the phone call ended. Inuyasha gave himself a few seconds to get his breathing under control, and to make his muscles stop clenching. Not for the first time, he regretted letting Kagome stay with him. He should have taken her back the very instant he found out what was gong on. If he were a stronger man, he would take her back now.

But, looking at her smiling face, as she finally got the gun he purchased her to go together correctly, he couldn't do that. She looked happy, and that was the most important thing. 'Wait', he corrected himself. 'Safe and then happy'. He smiled at his own twisted sense of humor as he made his way back to the woman that had completely turned his world upside down.

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Kagome yawned into her hand. It was one in the morning. Their lesson had lasted longer than expected because one, she didn't know the first thing about firearms and two, she was having fun.

Inuyasha placed his hands on top of Kagome's. "That's enough for tonight. There's a towel in the bathroom for you. Take a shower and get ready for bed. We have a long day tomorrow."

Kagome frowned. It had been a few hours since the phone call Inuyasha received. Enough time for the two of them to eat, and for Inuyasha to take a shower.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmmm…," he asked lazily with a stretch.

"Who was that phone call from?" Kagome tried to ask in a way that was totally innocent, but she could hear her own extreme curiosity in her question. The silence that followed made her entire being tense.

Inuyasha contemplated for a moment as to exactly what he would tell her. Should he tell her the truth? There was only one reason not to and maybe he could tell her in a way that seemed as if it wasn't a big deal. 'Yeah right,' he thought. She was much smarter than that. She already knew what the phone call was about. He was sure of that by the tone of her voice. Well, if she already knew, he could only tell her and hope that he could deal with the aftermath. He hoped she wouldn't worry too much. He would keep her safe regardless of what had, or would, happen.

"It was Sesshoumaru. He found that Yura girl."

"Oh…um, what happened?" Her voice broke in the middle, betraying her thoughts on the matter.

Inuyasha sighed. "She won't talk. She was hired as a professional. I'm sure of it. If she were just some girl, then she would have spilled the beans under Sesshoumaru's questioning. He may not seem like much when you met him, but he can be rather scary at times."

Kagome started trembling. What had she done? It was all her fault for not seeing it sooner. How could she be so naive? How could she have done this to Inuyasha? Inuyasha so badly wanted that sword and she had made it harder, if not impossible, for him to obtain it. The first tear fell, followed by more as she tried with all her might to get them under control. She got up to go to the restroom, and hopefully lock herself inside, so she could get her emotions under control.

Just before she reached her salvation in the form of the lavatory, Kagome felt two strong hands stop her progress and swiftly turn her around. She fiercely closed her eyes and dropped her head, praying to every deity she could think of that she would be spared the fate of Inuyasha being angry with her for her stupidity.

"Are…are you crying?" Well, that wasn't expected. Inuyasha didn't understand. He wasn't sure what he expected, but this was certainly not it.

Kagome didn't answer. She couldn't answer. It was all she could do not to break down, and sob into the tacky carpet. She couldn't lift her head, or he would see. He would see how weak and pathetic she was. It was her own damn fault that they were in this position. How dare she let herself cry now? But they wouldn't stop; the tears kept coming a raging torrent and no amount of will would keep them from flowing.

"Please don't cry Kagome. I won't let anything happen to you, so don't be scared."

And then, the tears stopped. Kagome's entire being stilled. It was as if time stopped, and just as quickly as it did, time started up again. "Wha…"

Inuyasha felt her tense and heard her muffled question. He lifted her chin with his cupped hand. Her brows were still forced together and her eyes still tightly shut. "Why are you crying Kagome?"

"Aren't you angry with me?" came her timid question. Kagome's eyes slowly found their way open to look at a very confused man. Two small tears found their way down her cheeks.

"Why in the world would I be angry?"

Kagome sniffed and found more of her own voice. "It's my fault. I'm the one who couldn't see what she really was. I'm the reason you're having so many problems right now. I'm the reason Naraku knows what's going on." Kagome's face twisted in torment as she started sliding from Inuyasha's grip towards the floor. "I'm the reason Myoga was shot," ripped from her throat before a sob of monumental proportions came flying from her mouth.

Inuyasha let the confusion he was feeling turn into anger. He grasped Kagome's sagging form under her arms as he lifted her and forced her back against the closed restroom door.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" He was shouting, but he couldn't help it. It was almost so stupid he could laugh. Instead, he settled for anger.

Kagome's eyes opened so wide she was sure they would become stuck. She was afraid, and understandably so. Inuyasha was barely three inches from her own face and looked as if he could punch the wall by her head at any second. "I'm…I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

And then anger had turned to rage. "Why in the hell would you need my forgiveness?! I'm not angry with you for not knowing what Yura truly was!" He was still shouting and it was frightening her even more. He needed to calm down. Inuyasha took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes.

"Then," she sniffed, "why are you angry with me?"

Inuyasha stopped holding her against the door, but placed his hands on either side of her body so she couldn't get away. "I'm angry with you because you have somehow found a way for this all to be your fault. It's not. It's Naraku and Yura's fault. You didn't shoot Myoga, did you?"

"No, but…" she got out before he could place a hand over her mouth.

"But nothing. I won't have you blaming yourself for this. If he couldn't have done it this way, he would have found another way. He would have still had Myoga taken out of the equation, and he would have still found a way to find out where we were going."

Kagome stared at Inuyasha for a few moments, his hand still covering her mouth, before she blinked away the last of her tears. He didn't blame her. He was angry because she blamed herself. In the seconds that ticked away while Inuyasha held her firmly in place, she decided that she would listen to him. Maybe he was right. Maybe Naraku would have found some other way if this plan hadn't worked. He was certainly involved more than through her when it came to the sword. He was also very patient. It was months ago that she hired Yura. He couldn't have known when Kaede would die from her illnesses, just that she would in time. It could have been years. Inuyasha was right. Naraku would have found another way, if he had to.

Kagome came out of her thoughts and nodded her head that she understood him. Inuyasha let out a soft breath that he was holding and closed his eyes. Kagome was already in an emotional state with everything else going on. He couldn't let her carry this on her shoulders as well. He removed his hand from her mouth and suddenly realized how close he was to her.

Their chests were almost touching. He hadn't been this close to her while awake since China. Inuyasha tried to relax and see if she was comfortable with this degree of closeness while she was already there. He let his hands find her shoulders and slowly, while watching her curious eyes for any sign of discomfort, he pressed his forehead against hers.

Now, Kagome didn't know whether to run or melt. She wanted to melt, but her flight instinct was trying to kick in. However, she wanted his attention. She wanted him to touch her. He made her feel wanted and needed. She had never felt anything like it. She decided to see what he would do. She could always stop him if she started feeling too pressured. This was the only way she knew to tell him she had feelings for him as well. She couldn't tell him with words. Kagome knew she would only make herself sound stupid, and would never find the correct things to say. So, when Inuyasha slowly let his fingertips graze down the undersides of her arms, she allowed him. She closed her eyes and let herself feel. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that this was the right thing. She knew that simply feeling was what was needed at this moment. She knew that Inuyasha would understand and lead her in the right direction.

And she was right. Inuyasha watched her eyes flutter closed and her soft, pink lips turn up into a small, contented smile. He knew she was letting herself go. Inuyasha wanted to show her how much her cared for her. Words were no good, as both of them were not good at saying the right thing or what they truly meant. Actions spoke louder than words. So, he would let her feel how he felt with his actions.

He took her hands gently in his, all the while keeping a close watch on her expression, and pulled them to lay flat against his chest. Going as slow as he could, while still getting to the point, he slid the palms of his hand delicately from her shoulders up her slender neck until they found the sides of her face and nestled into her flowing black locks. Without opening her eyes, Kagome turned her face up to where Inuyasha's should be. She felt the ghost of his breath caress her lips until they soothingly touched his own.

It wasn't the same as before. She didn't feel trapped. She didn't feel worried about what was going to happen next. She didn't feel frightened or anxious. It wasn't like her dream, either. In the dream there were only feelings of lust and heat. This was warmth and happiness and everything good that she could possibly think of. Kagome felt as if the floor had just given way and that Inuyasha was the only thing that kept her from falling. She was floating in a river of his presence. His mouth was so inviting against hers that she couldn't help but to respond by putting just a small amount of pressure behind her lips and moving her hands to capture his face, as he had hers.

When she finally did, Inuyasha responded in kind by sucking lightly on her bottom lip. When Kagome opened her mouth to gasp at the new sensation, and what it was doing to other parts of her body, Inuyasha turned his head slightly and pressed her even more snuggly in between his body and the door. Kagome took the hint and allowed him to tenderly slip his tongue between her teeth and press it to hers.

Kagome loved the new feeling of being almost completely sheathed by his body. She could feel the heat radiating off of his skin in waves, even when there were at least two layers of clothing between them. Still going with what felt right and letting her instincts guide her, she completed the circle around his neck with her arms, and stood on her toes to get a better angle.

He traced her arms as they wound around him and then traced back down them and around her upper back. The innocent kiss was getting rather serious now. He couldn't stop his arms as they wound tighter and tighter around her, slowly picking her up from the floor.

Kagome felt her feet leave the ground and instantly knew that this was turning into something more. At the moment, she couldn't care less. It felt right and perfect to have him mold her body against his. Without even knowing what she was doing, Kagome's legs inched up higher and higher until she was wrapped around him thoroughly and completely. She felt him slowly coming undone at the seams, and couldn't help but think that she had done this to him. It was a powerful feeling, one that she wanted more of. She needed more.

Inuyasha let her legs slide up against him and the warmth he had been feeling in his middle turned to full blown heat as she tightened the hold of her legs around his stomach. He could feel her, all of her. He was going crazy but refused to frighten her by doing something sudden. While still rotating his tongue inside her hot mouth, he tenderly let his hand fall farther down her back. He slid them up the back of her shirt so he could feel her creamy skin.

To feel his hands on her made her do something that she would blush over later. At the moment she felt so free that it didn't matter. Nothing mattered expect Inuyasha and having more contact with him. She grabbed the back of his t-shirt and pulled. She knew that he would know what she wanted, and was wonderfully delighted to find him willing to do so. Inuyasha did take the hint and moved his body around in such a way that she could do as she pleased, which in fact, pleased him as well. As soon as his shirt was over his head, Inuyasha push her into the wall once more and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. He nipped and tugged on her tongue and lips playfully and felt her need increase by the second. Inuyasha shuttered and shivered when he first felt her nails and hands clutch the skin and muscles on his chest. Kagome felt his reaction and knew that he had liked it, so she continued exploring and hoping he would give her more. She needed more contact and she was awfully warm all of a sudden. 'Please take my shirt off', she begged in her mind.

Inuyasha was thinking the same thing at that moment, but how would she react? There was only one way to find out. He found the edge of her shirt again and slowly lifted it up while caressing her skin with his wide hands. Kagome decided to encourage him by lifting her arms up and Inuyasha barely had her shirt off before she was attacking his mouth again. This was much better, in Kagome's opinion. Now she could feel his heat with no barriers. She could feel his skin sliding against hers. She could feel the rippling of his abs and pectoral muscles. He felt so strong in between her thighs. Even with less clothing on, the heat that came from their bodies continued to rise as it threatened to engulf them.

Inuyasha was at a standstill. He didn't know where she would allow him to go from here. He could tell she was enjoying herself and he was enjoying the fact that she wasn't stopping him or running away. He didn't want to frighten her and end the delicious torment that she was inflicting upon his body and soul.

However, his hands itched to touch her body. He wanted to soak up every bit of her smooth, milky skin. He wanted to taste it. Inuyasha slid his lips and tongue across her cheek, down her jaw until he was firmly latched on to her beautiful neck. She tasted like salt and honey. Kagome let her head fall back, which wasn't much in her current position, so that he could explore unhindered.

Kagome was going out of her mind. His scorching mouth was making her body do traitorous things. Things like explode with heat, arch, writhe. She felt him inch lower as he lifted her up the wall higher until her breasts were at his eye level. She couldn't tell him to stop, her mouth wouldn't let her. She couldn't push him away, her hands were occupied with his smooth and strong shoulders. Most of all, the primal side of her wouldn't let her think about stopping this interaction for more than a fleeting second because this was what felt good and this was natural. This was what men's and women's bodies were designed to do. They were meant to perfectly fit together like strange pieces of a puzzle.

Inuyasha leaned back to look at her. He took in her upper body, creating a picture in his mind that would last for a lifetime. The flawless skin that covered her stomach was etched into his mind followed by the black, lacy bra that Kagome was beginning to fall out of because of her needy movements. He kissed the material that covered her chest first on her right, then the left. Inuyasha felt her suck in a stuttering breath and felt his groin tighten and constrict in response. Just as he was about to push the lace restriction away, the moment shattered.

Kagome's breathless voice suddenly came to her and she whispered his name to try and tell him that she was enjoying herself, that she wanted his touch and attentions. However, it was all it took to break the spell she had placed on Inuyasha.

He froze when realized what he was doing. He would have taken her, here in this seedy motel, in the middle of a life threatening situation, against a bathroom door that was poorly painted and chipping. To top it all off, she wanted him, too. It was the worst feeling in the world to know that he could have had it all, but would have never forgiven himself. This was not right. This was not the place or the time.

"Shit," he breathed.

Kagome was ready to slap him. Well, she was ready to scream and then slap him. He wasn't supposed to stop. How did she go from feeling like nothing could feel so good to feeling like she was going to pull her hair out; or his for that matter? Instead of doing the things she wanted to do, though, she stilled right along with him and hoped that he would start again if she didn't make any sudden movements.

Inuyasha placed a hand under her curvaceous behind and turned to place her on the bed and try to explain his actions in a way the didn't make him sound as if he was planning on stealing her body from the beginning.

"I'm so sorry Kagome. I didn't mean for it to get that out of hand."

And that made Kagome smile brighter than she had in a long while. She slid off the bed to kneel between his thighs that were spread a foot apart on the floor. She cupped his cheeks in her hands and placed a kiss on his nose. Kagome found herself wanting to outright laugh at him for the confused look on his face. She had never felt so free in all her life. No one could touch the good mood she was in. She would have been in an even better one if he had kept going, but now she knew why.

"I thought you had decided that you made a mistake. I'm glad it's just because you think you're trying to keep my virtue intact." Kagome sighed deeply before continuing. "This isn't where we should do something like that, is it?"

Inuyasha chuckled and hugged her. As he stood, he picked her up off the questionably stained carpet and rolled his eyes.

"It is defiantly not the first place I would have picked." Shaking his head, he let her out of his embrace. "Go get in the shower."

Kagome smile at him and dashed into the bathroom to do as he had asked.

After Kagome closed the door, Inuyasha flopped back first onto the bed and groaned. His hands went to the very stiff, pulsing appendage underneath the now very tight jeans he was wearing to try and alleviate the pain somehow. He whimpered and rolled to his side, still clutching himself in vain. Hopefully by the time Kagome got out of the shower, God would find pity on him and his problem would go away.

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AN: Not a whole lot going on in this chapter but now we have some more information and at least one problem is solved. I'm sorry this chapter came so late. Other than Christmas, New Year's and my birthday, I had very poor health the last few weeks. First it was a very bad cold and this I had to go to the hospital on my birthday a few days ago because I had hives and a whole mess of other symptoms. I'm mostly fine now. My heart is still trying to beat out of my chest because of the medication I'm on, I'm itchy and I can barely catch my breath sometimes, but for the most part I feel so much better.

I hope everyone had a great holiday, whatever one you may celebrate, and a very happy New Year. Thanks so much to my beta Kathy-kins. She is so wonderful and you are all lucky I have her because if I didn't you would have to deal with my very poor English skills. I have never been a great speller or good with grammar and I never claimed to be. By the way, Kathy-kins is not her penname, it's just something I call her because it's cute and I wanna. Her penname is wbaker5286 on She just sent me the link for the cutest one-shot she wrote. I almost snorted Coke through my nose reading it. It's called 'Inuyasha Diaries'. All of you go check it out.

So, on with the You're right about Miroku and Kagome. He's been her only life and now he has to depend on someone else to keep his precious cousin safe. I feel for him, I really do. My brothers are going through the same thing I suppose. They hate that I won't let them take care of me anymore. I love the pacing scene too. It's just so like him to hate something like that. I couldn't resist.

Inulover1253: Thanks so much for the compliment and review.

jflorea: Nasty things will start hitting fans soon. I have one more down chapter I think before the action will beef up again. By the way, I have racked my brain on the nickname thing. I'm going to figure out something better but for now, you will be dubbed the 'Sneaky Wench's Bad Jim'. Us and our minds will never get out of the gutter and both of us have referred to you by that statement so often. BAD JIM! My holidays were fine but I sincerely hope yours were MUCH better than mine. Thanks!

kc: I'm so glad you liked it. If you want to keep up to date with when this story gets a new chapter, I think there is an option you can select if you are a member and they send you e-mails when your favorite story or author makes an update. I have no idea other than that. I am most assuredly not computer savvy. A cookie should have peanut butter or chocolate in it; or both. LOL!


	19. Chapter 18

Hi again. Kathy-kins and I would like to thank all the readers for bearing with us this last week while we fixed the lingering mistakes in the chappies. Also, Kathy and I think you all will really like this new chapter.

Warning: There is no lemon, but there is a small amount of lime content.

Disclaimer: I, in no way, shape or form, own Inuyasha. I receive no monetary gain from writing this fic. All I get is headaches and sore fingers. Ah…so worth it.

The Cat Jumps Out of the Bag

Chapter 18

Getting in the shower after what had happened between the two of them was a mistake. Kagome realized too late what being alone would do to her fragile mind. They should have talked about what happened, what they meant to each other.

Instead, Kagome was in the shower, alone, with nothing but her thoughts. Thoughts such as what would he do if he knew the truth about certain things? Not to mention the fact that there was this whole Amanda thing she wasn't too sure about. What would happen if the long lost fiancée decided to come swooping into the picture one day? Would Inuyasha stay with Kagome if they were in a relationship, or would he want to be with his first love? She had to know before things got out of hand. She had no idea that her body would react so…willingly in close proximity to his. This time, Inuyasha stopped it before it got out of hand. What about next time? They were going to be spending a lot of time alone together in the next few days. Who was to say that next time things would go too far before she had the answers she needed.

With her mind made up to talk to Inuyasha, even if it was almost two in the morning, Kagome turned the water off and climbed out of the tub. If she didn't do this now, she wasn't sure if she ever would have the nerve again. She also wasn't sure where this sudden courage came from, but she wasn't about to look down her nose at it. It was now or never.

Just as Kagome was about to turn the handle on the bathroom door, she had an epiphany. This resolve, this courage came from her feelings for Inuyasha. Anyone else, she realized, wouldn't invoke this kind of response. She was not going to let whatever they had between the two of them be lost because she decided to clam up. If she had fears and worries, it was best to approach the problem head on.

With that in mind, Kagome sucked in a deep breath and tilted her head a little higher. This was it and she wasn't turning back now.

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'Baseball, baseball, baseball…nope, not working.'

Inuyasha groaned again as his mind kept straying to the little interaction that happened only ten minutes ago. It wouldn't seem to leave his mind. Kagome, panting, arching, aching. It was driving him insane.

He had to get the situation under control, so he pulled out the big guns.

'Sesshoumaru in a Speedo, Sesshoumaru in a Speedo, Sesshoumaru in a Speedo…and there we are.'

Inuyasha gave a smile of triumph. That one always worked.

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Sesshoumaru closed his cell phone with an audible click and looked at it as if it held all the answers to his problems. That, or maybe it would do a trick…

He sighed a great gust of air and let his head fall to his hands. His brother was right. If she wouldn't talk, there wasn't much else he, or anyone else, could do. They could only release her and hope for the best.

Sesshoumaru stood up and looked out the window of his hotel room. The city of Tokyo spread out before him. It was really beautiful here, but he missed home. More importantly, he missed his amazing wife.

Taking into account that his brief stay here was almost over, he let himself be comforted. He didn't have to stay here. His men could handle following the bitch that pissed herself before she would open her mouth. If nothing else, it was worth the amusement of seeing a grown woman pee her pants.

Sesshoumaru let out a small chuckle at the image of a very embarrassed idiot and started dialing the number of his love. She would be thrilled that he would be home soon.

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"Oh Miroku, that feels so good," moaned Sango. "Harder, please…" she gasped.

Miroku was more than happy to oblige her request. When the woman of your dreams lies under you and begs, one should not decline.

"Mmmmm…why didn't I do this sooner?"

"I have no idea, my lovely Sango. I told you I was the best." Miroku chuckled lightly and continued to make the lady squirm under his ministrations.

"Oh! Right there!" Sango almost screamed.

Miroku did as she asked and worked the knot in her lower back out. He had suggested a massage, again, after noticing Sango rubbing the junction of her neck and shoulder to ease the tension. After a few minutes of talking her in to it, Sango was lying on her stomach with Miroku giving her the best massage she had ever received.

"Okay, you don't get to go home. I'm keeping you. And to think, the last time I got a massage, I paid fifty dollars and it wasn't nearly this good."

Miroku smiled and kept easing her sore muscles. "Sango, if you really wanted to keep me, I would be more than happy to be at your every mercy."

Sango sighed and smiled. She wasn't kidding. If she could find a way, she would kidnap this man and keep him all to herself.

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When Kagome finally exited the room, she found Inuyasha had already stripped the queen sized bed and was putting the new sheets they bought on it. She hurried to the other side of the bed to help him with the fitted sheet. Once the flat sheet was on, Inuyasha ripped open the plastic on the blanket. When that was done, he opened the new pillows and put pillowcases on them with Kagome's help.

Kagome was finishing up the last pillow when she noticed that Inuyasha had placed a pillow on the floor beside the bed and was folding another blanket long ways.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm making a pallet. What does it look like?"

A very disgusted expression took over Kagome's pixie-like face. "Why in the world are you doing that? That floor is filthy!"

Inuyasha sighed. "I know it is, but I don't really trust myself to sleep next to you right now." He kept his face down so he wouldn't see the look on Kagome's face. He didn't want her to think he was complete sex monger, but he didn't know if he could keep his hands to himself at the moment.

"Inuyasha," Kagome scolded. "You can't sleep on that nasty floor. I'm not too sure about my own self-control at the moment, but I know that we would stop it if it got too far. Besides, I'm beat and I'm pretty sure you are too."

Inuyasha thought about it for a second. "Fine," he breathed. "But you keep your hands to yourself, you sneaky wench."

Kagome chuckled. "Scouts honor," she said with a mock salute.

Inuyasha picked his pillow and blanket off the floor. He shook the blanket off and make sure there wasn't anything on the pillow before he placed them on the bed.

They both hopped under the covers, and faced each other. Even thought the room was dark, and they made sure there was at least a foot of space between the two of them, Kagome could see his beautiful golden eyes almost scalding with intensity.

She smiled at him, and reached inside herself to find her earlier resolve. She cleared her throat and began.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

Kagome shifted uncomfortably before she looked him in the eyes again. "Well, I was thinking…I told you something about me a few days ago, right?"

"Yeah, you told me about your gramps."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Why was it so hard to ask a simple question? "I just wanted you to know that I fully intend to tell you the other parts of my story. But before I do, I was wondering, and this is just so I can maybe feel more relaxed telling you the rest," she added nervously. "I was wondering if you would tell me something about yourself."

Inuyasha blinked at her and then shrugged. "Sure, I'll tell you anything you wanna know."

"Please don't be mad," she whispered. Before he could open his mouth, she began again. "Rin told me something about you."

Inuyasha and Kagome both paused at the new information. Inuyasha swallowed the bile trying to burn his throat. He knew what Rin had told Kagome. It was the one thing he had meant to talk to Kagome about this entire time they had spent together. Every time he built up enough nerve, something poked him in the back of his mind and he chickened out. This was the moment. 'I…I'm not ready.'

But, it had to be done. He had to tell her sooner or later, and it looked like sooner was the only option left.

"What did she tell you?"

Kagome frowned. Inuyasha sounded so broken. It wasn't right. This was Inuyasha, her knight in shining armor. Where in the fairy tales that she read as a child, did the hero sound like this? She swallowed the lump in her throat and answered.

"Um…she told me that you were supposed to be married once."

"Is that all?" he whispered. It was hard to breath, but he continued. What kind of hypocrite would he be if he didn't talk about it now? Hadn't he told Kagome a few days ago that sometimes, if you let it out, some of the weight would be lifted? He had to get through this. Not only for his own sake, but for Kagome's as well. She needed to tell the rest of her story, and he needed to tell his.

"No…" she whispered. "She told me that the girl…left you right before the wedding."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and let himself remember, but only for a moment. He let himself feel the betrayal, hurt and anger for only a millisecond before he locked it into himself again. For only a second, he could hear her voice, telling him that she didn't want to marry him. She was laughing at him. 'Did she even laugh?' he thought. He couldn't remember what really happened anymore. It was hard to separate some of the dreams he'd had with reality.

"She did," he rasped. He cleared his throat and tried again. "It was the day before the wedding. She told me that she had met someone else and that she didn't want to marry me anymore. I…she was a totally different person than the woman I had originally gotten to know. I don't know if she changed or if I did, but she was different somehow."

By the time he had gotten through it, Kagome had gotten rid of the extra space between the two of them, and wrapped him into her arms. She didn't know what to do to make him feel better. There had to be something she could say to defuse the situation. The sadness in his voice killed her. He was not allowed to be sad. Kagome had to do something.

Leaning her forehead against his, she did the only thing she could do…

"I'm not a violent person, but if you want, I'll kick her ass for you."

It worked. Inuyasha chuckled and kissed her softly. There was no pity in her voice. He hated pity. She just looked like she wanted to take all his hurt away. In a way, she was doing that. He though for a moment about the first time he met her. She was able to shove away the memory of his first love, if it even really was love. He wasn't even sure of that anymore. His relationship with Amanda had never felt like this. No, this was love.

They closed their eyes and fell into a blissful sleep, closed from the world in each other's arms.

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When the new day dawned, they were wrapped in each other so tightly, that their two bodies became one.

Kagome was the first to wake up. Well, not so much wake up as drift from dreams to reality. The first thing that registered was the warmth. It was penetrating but not stifling. She could feel it settle into her bones. Whatever she was snuggled up against, would have to just stay there forever.

The next thing that wormed its way into her mind, was the silky steal beneath her hands. 'Skin', she vaguely registered. Slowly, she smoothed her palms down the arms of whoever was holding her so lovingly. The disassociated arms she was stroking began bunching their muscles. She felt a slight puff of air beside her face.

Inuyasha was also between wakefulness and unconsciousness, when he felt the stroking of heavenly hands. Then, to his surprise, the body that was lodged against his own arched and the air rushed from his lungs. 'Kagome', he thought before a smirk made its way to his mouth. Well, if the little vixen wanted to tease, he would show her how it was done.

His hands made their way to Kagome's stomach and he felt her tense and then relax. The shirt she was still wearing would have to go. Inuyasha gently slid on top of her, rolled her onto her back and pushed her shirt up her lean body. He could feel every muscle bunch and then recoil.

As soon as her shirt was over her head, Inuyasha looked into her now fully awake eyes, and saw the heat and passion that was there. He was certain Kagome had never looked at anyone else like that. His mouth pressed against her forehead, her nose, and then her luscious lips. They were like juicy pieces of pink candy, rose petal soft and so tasty.

Kagome experienced his first taste of her mouth and as the seconds passed, she felt his hunger for her increase. The kiss became deeper and harder as he tried to convey to her his need. She needed, too. She needed him to touch her. So, she pulled him completely on top of her and wrapped her toned arms around his neck.

Inuyasha allowed her to lead him and found himself comfortably hovering over her, one arm holding up his weight as the other was free to roam. His calloused hand found its way to her ribs, spanning across the better portion of her side. She was so petite, he vaguely wondered if his hands would fit around her waist. Inuyasha brushed his thumb up and did a small celebration in his head when he found that she didn't have a bra on.

Inuyasha's secret fetish was the underside of a woman's breast. It was the softest and sexiest part of the whole deal. He gently grazed that creamy part that he loved so much with the pad of his thumb and felt Kagome's breath hitch as she stopped kissing him.

Inuyasha was driving her crazy. Everywhere he touched sent electric pulses through her body and to her ever heated middle. She couldn't stop her body when it pushed into that wonderful hand. She couldn't stop clenching the sheet with her fingers. She had no control. He was the puppet master. It wasn't as if she minded. Oh no, he could do whatever he wanted as long as he didn't stop. If he stopped this time, she really would kill him, nasty motel room or not!

Persuaded by Kagome's responses, Inuyasha decided to move to the next step. Slowly working his way down her body, he hovered for a moment over one of those creamy mounds. Kagome felt his breath fan over her chest and before she could stop herself, a small whimper fell from her lips. They shared a heated look before he complied with her unspoken wish, and closed his mouth over one pink tip.

She never imagined that the temperature of her body could rise to a higher degree. Her neck snapped back. The breathy sigh that she let out and the movements she was making surprised even her. She couldn't help herself. She needed more…something. Only Inuyasha could make it go away. Her body went on autopilot and she didn't try to hold back.

As soon as Kagome arched into his mouth, his placed his hand under her back to keep her there. She wasn't getting away from him anytime soon. He kissed and sucked and nibbled his way to the other orb, and pulled its peak between his mouth, as well. Vowing in his mind not to let up on Kagome until she was sobbing with need, he placed a knee between her thighs and lowered his hands to her hips.

Inuyasha's resolve to tease her within a breath of her life before moving on almost crumbled when he discovered that the only thing covering her now, was a modest pair of silk panties. He released her breast from his lips and let out a pained groan. If she only knew what she was doing to his equilibrium…

He kissed a path down her sternum to her navel. Once there, he took the time to dip his tongue into the indentation. Continuing on his path to where he wanted the most to be, he gently ran his mouth down further. His broad hands found her thighs and went to gently caress the tender inside.

Inuyasha froze and at the same time, Kagome gave a little shriek of fear and tried to scramble away from him. Inuyasha was having none of that.

He gripped her left leg under her knee, and pulled her back to him so he could investigate what he had felt. Kagome stayed stationary with shock after the first tug on her leg. She was terrified.

There, on the inside of her creamy thigh, were long, deep scars. They weren't very exact, so that ruled out a medical procedure. They were also too precise to be accidental. That only left one option.

"Who did this?!" he growled.

Kagome looked at the livid expression on Inuyasha's face and decided that she had better tell him before he tried to kill someone. 'He might even kill me when I tell him,' she thought. However, when she opened her mouth, nothing would come out. She sat there, looking like nothing more than a suffocating fish for at least a minute before Inuyasha lost his patience.

"Kagome, tell me." It was a little more gentle, but still very demanding.

"I…I…I did it!" she screamed and winced. She couldn't look at him. He would look like _him_, her Gramps. If she opened her eyes, she would see that utter disappointment. She wanted to cry. She could feel the tears burning behind her lids. But, she couldn't. She couldn't cry anymore. She had cried over this part of her life for so long. Not only that, but this entire time with Inuyasha seemed to be filled with nothing but tears and panic attacks.

No more…

Kagome opened her eyes at last, and saw something she didn't expect, confusion.

Inuyasha was just sitting there, completely and totally confused. Why in the world would Kagome cut herself on her thighs? So, he voiced his thoughts, or lack thereof.

"I…I don't understand. Why would you do that? I mean, is it like a tattoo thing? I know that some African tribes cut designs into their bodies, but…" he just shook his head and waited for an answer.

Kagome took a few calming breaths. This was going to be hard. More than hard, it might even be impossible. But, he told her about Amanda. She could do this. She just needed to tell him, and then it would all be over. No more secrets, no more 'half-truths', no more lies.

"I need to tell you the rest of my story before I tell you about that. It will be easier for me if I lead into it, I think."

Inuyasha leaned back and allowed her to put on some shorts and a shirt before they both sat back onto the bed and got comfortable.

Kagome cleared her throat. "Remember I told you about moving with my Gramps to Japan?" Inuyasha nodded. "I lived with my Gramps because my parents died when I was four." Inuyasha went to say that he was sorry. He had figured as much by the way she talked sometimes, but he still needed to tell her. Kagome put her hand up so Inuyasha wouldn't interrupt. She could tell he was going to express his apology, but she couldn't stop now.

"They and my younger brother died in a car accident. He was only a baby. I took it really hard. If a four-year-old could be depressed, I was. I muddled my way through school. I didn't make friends. I didn't participate in class. I got good grades for the most part, but I never did anything social."

Kagome sighed and looked at Inuyasha. He was straining not to interrupt, but only barely achieving his goal. She needed to make this quick. "I told you that there were things that even Miroku didn't know. Those scars are those things. When I was sixteen…"

Her voice cracked and she had to clear her throat before she found her voice again. "When I was sixteen, there was a career day at my school. It was for parents only. I watched as all the kids in my class got up in front of the classroom with one or both of their parents to tell everyone what they did for a living. It was then that I realized the things I had lost. I started thinking about my future. There would be no one to watch me graduate, no one to cry when I went to collage, no one to walk me down the aisle. I knew that I had my Gramps and Miroku's mom and dad, but I didn't care. They weren't my parents.

"I…" her throat went dry and she coughed. "I need some water."

As quickly as he could, Inuyasha raced to the mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. He took off the cap and placed it gently into her hands.

Kagome gave Inuyasha a pained smile in thanks. She tipped the bottle of cold water up and cleared her throat once more.

"I went home that afternoon to find my Gramps wasn't there. I was so angry that my parents were taken from me, but that day, my anger was different. It was stronger than I had ever felt it."

Kagome closed her eyes and let out a forced breath. She needed to stay calm. It was helping that Inuyasha was near by, but it was still so hard to talk about.

"I went to the kitchen and got a knife. I had a health class the week before where we learned about the circulatory system. There's a main artery in your thigh called the femoral artery. So I went to the bathroom, sat in the bathtub…"

Inuyasha placed his hand on Kagome's mouth. He couldn't hear anymore. She was being so calm about the whole thing, it was eerie. He was horrified that no one had noticed her mental health before the whole thing had spiraled so out of control. If he ever met her gramps, he wasn't sure he would have been able to keep his opinions to himself.

Inuyasha just needed to stay calm, for Kagome's sake. She was doing so well by telling him all that she had. But, he just wanted to get the rest of the story with minimal effort on Kagome's end. He pulled her into his arms and tucked her back to his chest.

"You just answer yes or no, okay?"

"Okay" she whispered.

"Did your Gramps find you?"

"Yes."

"Did you get some professional help?"

"Yes."

"Are you…would you do it again?" he choked out through the emotion of asking the woman he loved such an important question.

"No."

"You swear to me, that it won't cross your mind again." 

"I swear."

Inuyasha let out the breath he was holding and just held her. He just needed to feel her in his arms. They sat on the bed together for what felt like forever and at the same time, not nearly enough time. Kagome felt like a ten ton weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She hadn't felt this good in…she couldn't even remember when. Inuyasha just thanked God over and over again that He didn't take Kagome away.

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Thank you all for waiting so long on this chapter. I had to do a little fixing up of the chapters because I was disqualified from the IYFG. They let me fix it, though. Hopefully I'll get word soon on whether 'Hunt' will be reinstated or not.

Thanks to jflorea (Jimmy) for nominating 'Hunt' for Best Drama in the IYFG. Even if they don't reinstate my fic or it doesn't get seconded, thank you from thinking that this fic is worth something.

Thanks also to my beta, Kathy-The Supreme Exalted Enforcer. This is her new title. I have decided that I will take over the world and Kathy has been recruited to help me with my diabolical plan. Therefore, my new title is Princess Kelly. Deal with it! LOL! Well, I can still take over the world in my head, right?

And finally, thank you to all that have stuck with me so far. You have no idea how much I appreciate each and every review. It makes me smile when I see someone has taken a moment of there time and not only read my story, but also told me what they thought about it. :tear: I love you I just couldn't let something like that happen in a place like that. Inuyasha loves Kagome. Let this be a lesson to you guys out there. Take your women to nice places and spoil them every chance you get. You should always make her feel like a queen and she'll always make you feel like a king. Trust me. Real women know how to make there men feel like the center of the world. I have been fine as far as my health. I got over the sickness fairly quickly. It was mostly just getting my appetite back. Thanks for caring!

angel-up-above-heaven: I'm so glad I've gained a new reader. Thank you for all the compliments. You actually made me blush! Not that it's hard to do, but still! I'm a prude when it comes to couples just jumping into bed with each other. I mean, I'll read any kind of smut imaginable but I just couldn't write a story like that. It wouldn't be me. It will happen eventually, but I want to let them spend more time together. Yeah, I was in the hospital. I'm sorry you're there. I hope you, or whoever is there is feeling better now. I have brothers, but Miroku relationship with Kagome is sort of modeled after mine and my cousin's relationship. I was so going to let Rin do it, but I love writing Sesshoumaru. I'm trying to do it every chance I get. Don't worry, my spelling is so horrible. I'm so glad I have Kathy-kins to help me. Thanks for the review.

IK4L: I'm so glad you're back! I was wondering just the other day if you were still reading. Thanks for taking the time to let me know you're still there. How's the brother? You know that Indiana Jones film comes out on May 22nd. Just a little reminder. Thanks again!

jflorea: I really hoped you like this chapter. This one was for you in a lot of ways. I hope you caught the sneaky wench thing. If you didn't, go look again! Bad Jim! LOL! Also, you have wanted to know what I've had up my sleeve with Kagome for so long now. I was going to hold on to it for a little while longer, but I want it to be out in the open. Back to your review…Kagome's going to get more and more comfortable with Inuyasha. I would never let you, my fellow hentai, down, now could I? You know, I think I'll just steal your gun range idea. That cool? I really like it and I'll give you the credit. Yay for the Sneak Wench!

Tarzan: Thanks for the review!

kschultea: I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long for an update. I hope you like it and continue to read. Thanks for the review.

OLDDOG333: I love this review! I think it one of my favorite ones! Don't worry, I won't take this honor lightly. I love Yorkies! Thank you for all the compliments. I hope this update keeps you from sending the demon hounds on me. I hope you like the new chapter. Let me Thanks for the birthday wishes and thanks for the compliments. Thanks for the review, too. Just…thanks!

LoVe23: I loved writing that scene. It was hard, but hard to write in a good way. I hope you like this one as well. Thanks for the review.

AzureFlames: Thank you for thinking I should get more reviews. I love the ones I get. If I got anymore this go around, I think I would spend more on the review responses than the actual story! I feel so lucky. I'm so glad you like the fic. I'm fine now as far as my health goes. Thank you for caring enough to ask. Thanks for the review.

moonlight-village-anbu: Thank you so much for the compliment. I had so much fun writing it, I'm glad I've had such good responses. It means I get to keep writing them! Yay for smut! Thanks for the review.

Wow! That was a lot of reviews!


	20. Chapter 19

Well, I'm back folks! I would like to say thank you to jflorea for giving me the idea for the shooting range scene. I was just going to skip over it, but he made me feel like there could be more to it. Thank you, Jimmy! Also, I would like to thank my beta, Kathy-kins. She worked so hard helping me fix all my typos when I was appealing to the IYFG. Bow to Kathy-kins, The Supreme Enforcer of the Universe. Well, the future supreme enforcer of the universe. We'll get there Kathy-kins. Taking over the world takes a lot of work! It makes me hungry.  And now a message from The Supreme Enforcer of the Universe:

I would like to add that I hope all the readers have as much fun with this story as I do. I feel as if we are all part of a wonderful group, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to have this contact with them.

Kathy-I love being an enforcer

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the character I have chosen to use in my fanfic. I do not make monetary gain from writing this fanfic. I also have only shot one pistol in my entire life, and I don't know very much about them or any other types of firearms. If anything I have written sounds weird, or not plausible, please let me know in a review. Thank you.

Arrivals

Chapter 19:

"Well, we better get ready for the day. We still have a lot of driving to do." As Inuyasha said this, he gently let Kagome out of his embrace, although he did so very reluctantly. He still wasn't sure if she was okay or not, but she seemed more alright with everything that she had shared than he did. She seemed, almost…relieved. That was fine with him, he supposed. It was a little disconcerting that she didn't feel more upset about the whole thing, but he sensed that she had been carrying this on her shoulders for so long, that the trauma didn't have the same effect that it once had.

Even though it was just something to say at the time, something that might make her more comfortable talking to him about that night so long ago, maybe he had been right when he told her that talking sometimes helped. Maybe she felt better now that everything was out in the open. Maybe she felt the same way he did when he told Kagome about his relationship with Amanda. He did feel so much better now that he had told her about his past. It was as if the current that was pulling him under was suddenly gone and he could come up for sweet, fresh air again.

Kagome dropped her arms from Inuyasha, knowing he was right. She didn't want to let go yet, but she imagined that she never would. Who could want to let go of something that made her feel so right, and safe, and…loved? Even if he didn't love her yet, Kagome still felt loved. That was alright for now. Even if he never felt as strongly for her as she did for him, she could live with knowing that he would always be around to make her feel loved.

Kagome turned on the bed to give Inuyasha one of those smiles he loved so much, and then scampered to the bathroom to take care of her morning ritual. After she showered, brushed her teeth and hair, and dressed, she went back into the living area/bedroom to let Inuyasha have his time in the dingy bathroom.

It took less time than Inuyasha had assumed for both of them to be packed and ready to go. Subconsciously, they were both in a rush for the whole ordeal to be done and over with. Then, they could concentrate on themselves and the big questions that came with what they seemed to be moving toward.

After loading up and getting in the car, they fastened their seatbelts and set out for another long day of driving. This one wouldn't be as long as the last, but there was still plenty of ground to cover. Besides, Inuyasha had a stop to make before they reached their destination.

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"You need to tighten your grip. Okay, that hand is fine and this one needs to go here."

After Inuyasha went through a drive-thru to get the two of them breakfast, he made a few calls to find a shooting range that was on their way to New Orleans. He found one that was right in the middle of their path.

Kagome had been nervous at first. He figured it had more to do with the loud and sudden sounds than actually shooting the pistol he had bought for her. Once she had been at her actual booth for a moment, she seemed to calm herself. Then the lesson had started.

"Now that your hands are correctly positioned, what's the next thing you do?"

Kagome was actually having fun. At first, it wasn't so great, but now that Inuyasha was close to her and holding her, it wasn't so bad. 'Okay Kagome, concentrate on the question. What do you do next?'

"I guess I would take the safety off, assuming I'm actually going to fire. Right?"

Inuyasha just smiled. "That's right. Go ahead and take the safety off." She did, and he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her shoulders to place his hands on her elbows.

"You need to relax and calm your mind when shooting a gun. Drop your shoulders and bend your elbows slightly." She complied, although Kagome had a hard time even breathing when he was so close.

"That's good. Now, there is a sight on the top that will help you aim your shot. Do you see it?"

"Yes," she breathed.

"When a bullet travels, even though it is moving really fast, you need to aim a little higher than where you want the shot to hit. Gravity will take its toll on the bullet. There's no way for me to tell you how much higher, though it's not more than a few centimeters from this distance. You'll just have to take a few shots and adjust as you go. Are you ready?"

It was so hard to pay attention to what he was saying to her. She knew what he said, it was just taking a few seconds for her brain to catch up. His soothing, sexy voice was going to be the death of her one day. Kagome gathered enough focus to answer him.

"I'm ready. What happens next?"

"Remember I told you that you should never put your finger on the trigger on the gun until you are certain you are going to fire?" Kagome nodded. "Well, you are definitely going to fire, so you need to gently place your finger on the trigger."

She held her breath as she did so. Inuyasha laughed at her quietly. "Don't hold your breath. Unless you're planning on becoming a sniper, that wouldn't be a great idea."

Kagome starting breathing again and he went to his next instruction. "Now, just aim and fire."

It took a few seconds for her to build up the courage to take that great leap, but she finally did. Kagome kept her eyes open, as instructed by Inuyasha, while she took the shot. But, as soon as she was sure the gun wasn't going to try to completely push her backwards, she closed them as hard as she could. She felt Inuyasha put the safety back on and felt him take the gun from her death grip. She heard a strange metal on metal sound and couldn't hold her curiosity any longer.

Before she could even open her eyes half-way, Kagome heard a long whistle from Inuyasha.

"What?" she asked and turned to see what he was doing. As soon as she did, she realized what the sound was. Inuyasha had pulled the target back to them to see where it was hit. She saw the bewildered look on his face and assumed the worst. "I didn't even knick it, did I?"

Inuyasha smiled. "Are you kidding? Look at this thing. Are you sure you've never shot a weapon before?"

Inuyasha handed Kagome the target and she looked at it like it might bite her. She was so sure he was teasing her, that she would look at the target and there wouldn't be a single thing wrong with it. She glanced at it, and saw that he wasn't lying. There, barely off to the side of the small red circle in the middle, was a ragged hole where her bullet went through.

"I knew you would do great. Didn't I tell you?" Inuyasha was so proud of her, he could hardly contain himself. He didn't even hit the target the first time he was taken to a shooting range with his father. "Do you want to try again? We could move it back to fifty yards this time."

"How far away was that?"

"It was twenty-five yards. That was really good, Kagome. I'm a little scared of you now," he said, with a small smirk on his face.

They went on like that for another twenty minutes, until Kagome was shooting at the target from seventy yards away. She couldn't quite make a bulls-eye, but she was so close, it might as well have been. All in all, Inuyasha felt so much better now that she knew how to protect herself. In the ideal situation, she would never have to even look at a firearm, but he still wanted to make sure that he had every base covered. He still couldn't shake the dread in the pit of his stomach when he thought about how close he had been to losing her. She was his world now. If something were to happen to her, he would follow her shortly after. There was no doubt in his mind of that. How could he live in a world were there was no Kagome?

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After a few more rounds at the shooting range, Inuyasha felt secure enough in Kagome's skills to call it a day. They stopped a few hours later to get some lunch.

"Hey, I'm going to call Sessh. You should take the time to call your cousin and let him know you're all right. Apparently, he's been giving my brother hell about your safety."

Kagome giggled and took out the cell phone Sesshoumaru had given her. Inuyasha dialed his brother's number and waited for him to answer. He didn't have to wait long.

"Yes, little brother. To what do I owe this disturbance?"

"Must you always be such an asshole? Where are you?"

"I'm on a plane to California, if you must know. I haven't received word yet on Kagome's secretary, but I should be receiving a report on our target in the next few hours."

After a moment of silence, "You don't think this will work, do you?"

Sesshoumaru sighed and rubbed his first finger and thumb against the bridge of his nose. "No, Inuyasha. I don't think this will work. However, as much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with your assessment. This is the only plan of action we have."

"Are your guys good enough to keep good tabs on her?"

"Yes, they are the best. I don't see her doing anything that we would not know about. That doesn't mean that she has already done what we are most worried about. It took my men a half an hour to find her to begin with. She could have called her employer as soon as she got off the phone with Kagome. In fact, I'm betting that's exactly what she did."

"Yeah, me too. I hope we're wrong, but it's the only thing that makes sense."

"Where are you, Inuyasha?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Inuyasha cracked a smile. He wasn't sure if he was going to be able to get a jab in with the seriousness of the conversation. Now, he was so glad he had gotten the opportunity. He could practically see his brother seething.

"When will you ever grow up?"

"I'll grow up when you get that stick out of your ass. Since you're so nosy, I'm about two hours from New Orleans."

"I guess I'll need to give you the information you need, brat. Do you have something to write on?"

Inuyasha grabbed a napkin from the holder in the middle of the table and pulled a pen from the pocket of his leather jacket. "Okay, go ahead."

After getting the information he needed, and making Sesshoumaru give his word to call him if there was any new information on Yura, he gave his brother one more thing to think about.

"Bye, fat ass!" he called before hanging up on his brother.

Laughing as he put his phone away, he caught sight of the scowl on Kagome's face.

"What's wrong, Angel?"

Kagome just shook her head and muttered something that sounded like, "What in the world is wrong with those two?"

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"Finally!" sighed Inuyasha, as the sign welcoming them to New Orleans came into view. It wasn't that he felt it was taking too long, or that the company wasn't good. He just wanted to remove himself from the car he was driving as soon as humanly possible. He swore not to drive for a week after this little 'vacation' was over if he could help it.

Kagome's face pressed to the glass a few minutes later, as they rode through downtown. "Where are we staying?" she asked with a detached interest. There were just too many things to see and take in. It was very late at night, but everyone still seemed to be awake. She would have to ask Inuyasha to stop at a shop soon so she could buy a camera.

"There, the big one," was Inuyasha's answer. Kagome looked up to see where he was pointing. In the distance, she saw a massive, forty story building that looked as if it were somewhere a celebrity or a head-of-state would stay. She turned her head to question Inuyasha.

"I thought we were trying to lay low. How does that monstrous thing qualify as 'laying low'?" There was no way anyone could miss it.

Inuyasha gave a quiet chuckle. "Sesshoumaru knows the guy who owns this place. They met in college. He called in a favor after I left the house. There is a suite that takes up the entire top floor. The elevator is the only way to get up there and I will have the only key. The owner also employs a very top notch security team that will have two guards placed outside of the elevator. No one but the owner and Sesshoumaru will know who we really are. To everyone else," he stopped his speech to look at the napkin he had written on in the diner, "we are Mr. and Mrs. Wilson."

"Wow," exclaimed Kagome. "Do we really need all that protection?" She was becoming nervous. It seemed like so much for just the two of them. Was the risk really that great?

"Not really but Sesshoumaru and I agreed that it was better to be safe than sorry."

Kagome felt a little less anxious and the soothing quality of Inuyasha's voice was having the same effect it always had on her. It felt as if he were wrapping her in his large, warm, safe arms and protecting her from any and all that would do her harm. No one could ever hurt her as long as he was near. He would never allow it. No one would ever convince her otherwise, either. She would claim it with the last breath in her body.

Kagome snapped out of her trance when the car stopped, and she found herself at the front door of a very lavish and posh hotel. The doorman suddenly opened her door and helped her out of the car in spite of her gaping. Then she heard sniggering to her side.

This wasn't Inuyasha's first rodeo. He had been to hotels nicer than this on some occasions. He chalked it up to having a half brother that didn't mind spending money when the situation required it. Even if he did sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed about all of it, he couldn't remember ever acting as Kagome was at this very moment. She reminded him of Annie, who had suddenly found herself swooped from the street and taken to Daddy Warbucks' palace. He couldn't help but let out a small laugh at her expression.

Kagome didn't really appreciate it. She knew what he was laughing at, but she couldn't help it. Even being a successful lawyer, she never stayed at places such as this. There had never been a reason to spend well earned money on such a meaningless thing. Many people called her things like 'thrifty' or, God forbid, 'cheep'. She preferred to think of it as common sense.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the still smiling Inuyasha, held her head a little higher, and stamped to the front doors of the hotel. Inuyasha's smile melted immediately.

'Uh oh…' he thought. He was in trouble. He raced up the stairs to try and catch up with her. He finally made it to her side as she reached the front desk of the hotel lobby. She wouldn't look at him yet, but he would think of something to get back into her good graces.

"Yes sir, ma'am. What can I do for you today?"

Inuyasha found his voice to answer the woman behind the counter. "We have reservations."

"What's the name, sir?" she asked as she pecked away at the keyboard in front of her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wilson."

"Ah yes, sir. We were wondering when you would arrive. I will retrieve the owner."

"Thank you," he said as he turned his attention back to Kagome. She was still looking everywhere but at him. He gave a great sigh. "Kagome?" Nothing.

"Kagome, please?" he asked as he circled her body from behind with his arms. She held stiff as stone. He sighed again and let his arms fall away. He wasn't done yet. He just needed to get her somewhere alone before he tried again.

Kagome hid a secret smile. She wasn't mad anymore. Even if it was sort of wrong, she was actually having a small little bit of fun. It was kind of enjoyable being chased by Inuyasha. She had practically thrown herself at him all the other times. This was different. Now she knew why some women played coy. It was a very powerful feeling when a man pursued you. She would apologize later. For now, she just wanted to see what he would do.

When the man, who was obviously the owner of the hotel, appeared from around the corner, Kagome adjusted her face into one of indifference and followed he and Inuyasha to the elevators.

The whole ride to the tippy-top of the hotel was made in silence. Kagome almost felt bad enough to just drop the whole thing when she looked from the corner of her eyes to see Inuyasha looking like someone had run over his puppy, but she figured he could hold out a little longer.

Inuyasha noticed, once again, that Kagome wasn't acting like she wanted to claw her way up the walls while she was incased inside an elevator. 'She must really be furious with me.' Inuyasha hung his head and sighed.

----------------------------

Sesshoumaru stepped inside his home and took a moment to take in a very deep breath and let it out slowly. His home, he thought, always smelled of Rin, like fresh linens. After being at home almost all the time, sometimes he couldn't smell it anymore, as if his nose became desensitized. But, when he had been away from that wonderful smell for a few days, he could always smell it so strongly when he came home.

"You're home!" came a cry of excitement from the end of the hall. He looked up to find his wife barreling towards him at full speed.

Rin was always lost when her husband was away. She didn't work and had only one hobby, her Sesshoumaru. All she did when he was away was count the minutes until he came back to.

She threw herself into Sesshoumaru's arms and when he caught her, she kissed every inch of his face. "I missed you so much!"

He twirled her around and pressed her tightly into his body. Sesshoumaru imagined what his life would be like now if he had never found his persistent Rin. She was his entire life now. Without her, he would have never learned that life was so much more beautiful when you shared it with someone else. He would have never made amends with his only living relative, Inuyasha. He would never know what it felt like to have a family.

Sesshoumaru found himself wishing, hoping beyond all hope, that Inuyasha had finally found the same thing in Kagome that he found in Rin.

"Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" Sesshoumaru snapped back to find that he was sitting on the floor, with Rin clutched so tightly that he was afraid for a moment that he had crushed her. Rin face was scrunched into tight, worry-filled lines.

He smiled a little and loosened his grip on her so he could hold her face in his hands. "I was just thinking about what my life would be without you, and I was hoping Inuyasha could have what I have."

"He and Kagome belong together," she stated. "I can feel it in my heart. They will find their soul mates in each other."

"I have a feeling that you are right," Sesshoumaru said as he picked up his wife bridal style.

Rin flashed him that wonderful, toothy smile. "Aren't I always?"

"Perhaps," he said with a smirk.

"So, honey," she began as she loosened his tie. "I was thinking while you were away."

"About what?" he asked, as he rounded the corner.

"Well," she began. "I always get so lonely when you're away, and I think maybe I'm not as selfish as I used to be. I think maybe I could share you with someone, now."

Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Rin with a mixture of disbelief and hesitance. "Share me?" he asked.

"Well…" she said and began fidgeting with her silk robe.

"Well…" Sesshoumaru countered with his customary eyebrow lift.

Rin giggled at his wariness and then straightened her facial features so she could address him seriously. "I…I want a baby."

Sesshoumaru sighed as the tension he felt in his body loosened. "That was what you meant by 'sharing' me with someone else?"

"Of course, what did you think I was talking about?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head and decided he had better not delve into that.

"Well?" she asked as he began walking again.

"Well, what? I though you said you wanted a baby?"

Rin nodded but she still looked confused.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and spoke as if he was talking to a child.

"Aren't babies usually made in the bedroom?"

Rin squealed her delight and Sesshoumaru chuckled.

---------------------------------

Well, here's another one. As always, please let me know what you think in a review and be sure to thank my Kathy-kins for her help. Have a great weekend I also find that cutting is far too common for my tastes as well. I had a very good friend do it to herself. It was horrible. Thank God, she is fine now. Thank you for all the nice compliments and thanks for the review.

Jimmy!: I couldn't help the Sesshoumaru in the speedo bit. These weird things just come to me at the oddest times. It's hard trying to explain to your in-law why you're laughing for no reason while eating dinner. :sigh: Such is the life. I knew you would catch the 'sneaky wench' line. I feel like it was harder for Kagome to tell Inuyasha her story than the other way around. She really needed to be pushed to it, which is why I had Inuyasha find the marks. Cutting is still kind of common for girls, but you are right. Women are more likely to try and kill themselves with a less violent method like pills. Men are usually the ones that try and blow their heads off or hang themselves. I know, I have lots of useless information stored in this strange brain of mine. As you can see, I did use the shooting range but I wanted a little less contact in this chapter. I just sort of wanted Kagome to be a little flustered. Thanks for the review and I'll talk to you soon.

InuGoddess715: I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I'm amazed no one guessed what I was up to. I feel so bad for Inuyasha, too. The poor guy got stood up on what was supposed to be the best day of his life. But, he knows that Kagome is entirely different from Amanda. He gives her a chance because Kagome likes him because of him. I really didn't want to throw them in the sack in the first few chapters. It didn't happen like that for me and Kagome and Inuyasha haven't known each other very long at all. All they know is that, for some reason, they are strangely drawn to each other. I'm glad you appreciate what I'm trying to do. Thanks for the review.

badgirl093: Thank you for the review. I hope you liked this chapter, too.

Kags13: I hope this was fast enough for you. lmao I don't know why other authors get so angry when people plead for an update. I think it is such a compliment.

Tink2Kagome: I am so happy you find something you like in my story. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thanks for your second review Thank you so much for thinking the last chapter was worth the wait. I hate that this one took as long as it did but I hope you think it's good, too.

KP: Kagome and Inuyasha will start healing each other now. Kagome is all but convinced that Inuyasha would never leave her and Inuyasha knows that Kagome is what he's always wanted in a woman. Thanks for the review.

AzureFlames: I love your penname, by the way. I'm so glad you like the last chapter. Thanks for the review.


	21. Chapter 20

A/N: Yes folks, that's right. I am back and very excited about it. I hope you like this chapter. I think it's my favorite chapter so far. I would like to give a big thank you to The Enforcer, Kathy-kins, Wielder of the Red Pen. Without her, I would NOT like this chapter near as much as I do. She has been a massive help on this and other projects. I can't even begin to fathom how I'm going to make it up to her. The only thing I can think of at the moment is to plug. Go read her story, 'Inuyasha Diaries' at fan . You'll love it! I promise.

Warning: This chapter features a lime. If you are not 18, or do not want to read my glorious smut (what's wrong with you? O.o lol), there is a clean chapter posted on

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, Inuyasha included.

_Italics_ are Japanese

Chapter 20:

In Bed

Kagome skittered around the huge suite, putting this and that from her travel bag away. Her clothes were hung in the massive closet and her toiletries were put away in the bathroom. Kagome almost abandoned her coy act upon walking into the bathroom, if you could call it that.

It was more like a entire bathhouse to her eyes. There was a stand-in shower that could have easily fit five people comfortably, a bathtub that looked more like a hot tub, and a vanity that ran along the entire wall and was at least ten feet long. Even the toilet looked fit for royalty.

She let herself pause, only for a moment, before going back to ignoring Inuyasha, who was, at that very moment, sounding like a whining puppy.

"But Kagome," he pleaded, trapping her between himself and one of the counters in the kitchen. "I wasn't really laughing at you. You just had a look on your face that was very endearing. I couldn't help myself. It was very cute."

Kagome wiggled her way from his grasp, and went through all the cabinets to see what all the hotel provided.

"It's not nice to laugh at people, Inuyasha," she said, while examining a large frying pan. "You should have held it in like a good boy."

Inuyasha pin her again, against the kitchen counter and his body. He narrowed his eyes and securitized her. She felt like she might hyperventilate if he kept looking at her like he knew her inside and out.

'Oh, well,' she thought. She was just never meant to play coy. It was fun while it lasted. She narrowed her eyes playfully back at him.

"You're messing with me, aren't you?"

She sent him a smirk.

"So what if I am?" she asked, in a teasing manner.

Inuyasha grinned, and before she knew it, she was doubled over, laughing as his hands skillfully tickled her until she couldn't breath. He didn't stop until she was writhing on the cool, tile floor. He crawled over top of her while Kagome caught her breath. His nose skimmed up the soft skin of her neck until his breath was ghosting across her ear. It made it that much harder for her to regain her breath, and the smile left her mouth.

"That wasn't very nice of you. I thought you were really mad at me."

Kagome swallowed hard and tried to think of a reply. It was so hard to think.

"That is so not fair," she breathed.

"What isn't fair?" he murmured, as he took her earlobe in between his teeth for a small nibble.

"It's not fair that you can make me forget everything I was going to say."

"Mmmmmm…," he rumbled. He body was press so close to hers now, that she could feel the vibrations in her chest. "You shouldn't have told me that," he said in a hushed, sensual voice.

His mouth attached itself to her neck. She sighed at the contact. He let go with an audible sucking sound and Kagome couldn't remember the last time she had heard something so sexy. He kissed his way up to her lips and hovered for a moment before capturing one of them between his own.

She lifted her head off the floor so that she could add pressure to the kiss. If she could, she would spend the rest of her life kissing Inuyasha.

Somehow, Inuyasha had picked her up from the tile floor, made his way to the bed they were to share. She knew that they couldn't let this get out of hand, but at the moment she couldn't really find the strength to care. It wasn't just the things she wanted to say that flew out of her head when he touched her, it was all thoughts except those that centered around him.

Inuyasha was also having a hard time thinking of anything that didn't have something to do with Kagome. He needed her like he needed air to breath. She was water to his parched mouth. She was food to his gnawing hunger.

Lime content removed. To view, go to mediaminer. org

Kagome was finally coming back to reality. Inuyasha's lips had finally found her own and she barely had the strength to purse hers together and allow him to kiss her. She couldn't ever remember feeling so boneless, so deliciously worn out. But, that wouldn't do at all. He had done something for her, now it was her turn. She had never thought herself able to do something like that, but she would without hesitation, simply because it was him. She was actually a little excited, if she were honest with herself.

"Give me a minute to catch my breath," she gasped. "You'll have to talk me through it." She blushed at having to make such a request, but she didn't want to disappoint him. She wanted to make him feel as good as he made her feel.

"No," he said quietly. He pulled a sheet over her and laid down beside her. "Go to sleep. You're tired and we may have some things to do tomorrow."

"But," she started and he pressed another kiss to her lips to stop her speech.

"Don't worry about me, it's nothing that I can't take care of," he stated, ghosting his lips across her.

Kagome blushed harder at the implications of that statement. She felt the heat stir in her belly once more, at the image in her mind he supplied, but stomped it down as best she could. He was turning her into a pervert. Not that she minded.

"There is always time later, if you still want to do something like that. I don't want you to feel like you need to just because of what I've done for you. It was as much for myself as it was for you, anyway. Please, sleep," he implored, in a whisper, and kissed her eyelids so that she would close them.

"Okay," she whispered back, still a little reluctant. Kagome snuggled under the covers that Inuyasha pulled up over the sheet already covering her. She was so warm and cozy, hazy thoughts drifted through her mind like wisps of smoke. In her sleep addled mind, she remembered that she wanted to tell Inuyasha how she felt about him.

"_Aishiteru_," she whispered.

"What was that, Angel?" he asked, but she was already asleep. He shrugged and figured that she could tell him in the morning if it was important.

Inuyasha carefully slipped from her grasp, so as not to wake her, and went to take a nice, long shower.

--

"Kagura," the dark form in the shadows whispered.

"Yes," she answered, barely keeping her disgust from her tone.

"Was Yura sure about the location?"

"Yes," she answered again.

"Did you dispose of her as you were told?"

"Yes," she replied, not being able to hold in the shiver of horror at the things she had done for him. Inside of her own mind, she cursed him for holding her like he did. If she ran, he would find her. If she disobeyed him, he would punish her.

"Good. Now, I want you to make arrangements for us to be there. I also what you to find out all you can about who could possibly match me enough to keep me from what is mine. Find out who it is, Kagura, or your life is forfeit.

"Yes, my master," and then she took her leave, so she could find someplace to voice her opinions out loud, without fearing repercussions, even if no one else would ever hear them.

--

"Rin," whispered Sesshoumaru, as he ran his long fingers through his wife's silky hair.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice bogged with contentment and a need for rest.

"Where is my brother's tag-a-long and that girl's cousin?" It was something that he had, until now, forgotten about completely. He had been so wrapped up in his wife, that he failed to notice that he had not seen all day the two guests that had once been there.

Rin giggled. "I assume they went to her apartment. They left a few hours before you came home. I guess they wanted to be alone." She giggled again.

Sesshoumaru's lips quirked. "I must admit, you are quite the match maker. First, my brother and Kagome, then, Sango and her current fascination."

"I'll take credit for Sango and Miroku, but not for Inuyasha and Kagome. They were going to get together whether I spoke to them or not. Those two gravitate towards each other. Then again, I'm pretty sure, given enough time, that Sango would have pounced on Miroku. I just gave them a little push."

"Still, you don't give yourself enough credit."

"Well thank you, my love." She grinned at him.

"Wait, you said that you assume they went to Sango's apartment. They did not tell you before they left?"

Rin sat up and looked down at him with confusion. She shrugged. "Where else would they have gone?"

Sesshoumaru only nodded and pulled his wife back into his arms. He didn't have an answer to her question, but something was still nagging him; telling him that they were wrong. However, he brushed his questions off. He had far more important things to think about, and they all lay curled against his chest.

--

Kagome woke up earlier than she wanted to. However, as soon as the sun had come up, she was wide awake. Next to her was her reason for living.

'The love of my life,' she thought with a grin on her face.

In everything that was going on, she had completely forgotten to tell him. She needed to so badly, it was making her fingers twitch, debating on shaking him awake that very second, or letting him continue sleeping.

Kagome sighed and decided to just wait until he woke up. Until then, she could order breakfast and take a quick shower.

Twenty minutes later, Inuyasha woke to Kagome's voice. It had taken him forever to get his 'problem' to go away the night before. If was as if his 'problem' knew that there was something much better waiting for it in the next room. It took a lot of imagination and some extra concentration, but he finally succeeded.

Inuyasha could hear Kagome's voice, but he couldn't see her. Then he realized his eyes were still closed, and worked on prying them open.

"Wake up, sleepy head," she whispered, as she placed something across his middle. It wasn't very heavy and smelled great.

He finally managed to open his stubborn eyes. Kagome was sitting on the bed, with her legs tucked under her, with a tray of food on her lap. In his own lap was the same.

"Good morning," she said, and smiled. He lost his breath at about the same time she did.

Kagome wondered how she had gotten so lucky. Inuyasha was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. His hair was ruffled and he was still so sleepy. When his eyes opened, the air she was taking into her lungs caught, and all she wanted to do was jump in his lap and coo over how cute he was. He probably wouldn't like that, so she decided to take a deep breath and push the urge down.

Inuyasha was beginning to feel like he had gotten it right with his nickname for her. 'Angel', he thought. She was wearing one of his button down shirts, and from what he could tell, nothing else. She must have just gotten out of the shower, because he could smell the dampness that still clung to her, and her hair was still slightly wet. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and got himself under control. If he lost it now, what would have been the point of his exercise in self control the night before.

When he opened his eyes, he made sure to pay attention to the food in his lap, lest he have another 'problem'. In front of him, was french toast, sausage, grits, and juice.

"I remembered to order that stuff you like."

"You mean, grits," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, those things."

"Thank you," he said as he picked up his fork to dig in.

The two of them ate in silence, just the sounds of silverware on ceramic plates. Inuyasha finished his meal well before Kagome did, then excused himself to take a shower.

After finishing, he came out to find that Kagome was dressed in her normal jeans and a tee-shirt. Inuyasha wasn't sure whether he was grateful or disappointed. He settled on grateful, since that meant he was less likely to maul her before he could get any work done.

Speaking of which, he needed to call his dear brother.

After telling Kagome was he was going to do, and asking if she wanted to talk to her cousin when he was finished, he sat at the bar and opened a notebook in case he needed to write anything down.

Inuyasha put the cell phone on intercom after he heard the first ring, and waited for Sesshoumaru to answer. It took more rings than it normally did, but he finally got an answer.

"Tanaka."

"Hello, brother. And how are you this fine day? Have you checked your bastard levels this morning?"

"Actually, I am very good. And you, Inuyasha, how is your day so far?"

Inuyasha scowled for a moment, before he retorted.

"Okay, who are you, and were is the real asshole?"

"Inuyasha, I am in a very good mood this morning, and you will not ruin it. Now, what in the world do you want."

"First, tell me why you're in such a good mood, that you can't even insult me properly when I call."

Sesshoumaru was quiet for a moment.

"That is the most disturbing thing I think I have ever heard come out of your mouth. It is very hard to believe that you could get worse, but I think you just topped it all."

"Whatever," Inuyasha grumbled. "Stop changing the subject. Why are you so…'Mr. I-Have-Sunshine-Up-My-Ass-And-It-Is-So-Bright-My-Teeth-Are-Whiter', this morning."

Inuyasha heard Sesshoumaru sigh. "I guess I could tell you. Rin will tell you as soon as she talks to you, anyway. She and I have decided to try and have a child."

"Dear God in heaven! Why in the world would she want to have a kid with you? One Sesshoumaru in the world is one too many. You want to start making spawn? If we see the anti-Christ in this lifetime, it will definitely be from your seed."

"Inuyasha! If Rin hears you say anything like that, I will personally chop off the part of your anatomy that will let you populate the world with the most nit-witted beings known to the animal kingdom."

Inuyasha cackled in the background. "Geez, you sure are touchy about this subject. Calm down," he said, stifling his laughter. "I was just messing with you. That's actually great news. I'm excited for you, really."

Sesshoumaru was still a little miffed, but sighed and let it go.

"What, exactly, did you call for, Inuyasha?"

"I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be needing a new car. I don't want to run around in the same one we used for the trip here."

"That is acceptable. Is there anything else?"

"No, just that I plan on calling that woman today. I'd like to meet with her as quickly as possible. I hope that she doesn't try and give me any trouble. I guess it is kinda good that Kagome followed me. She can at least vouch for me, you know, because she was Keade's lawyer."

"Does Kagome have a copy of the will with her?"

Inuyasha scratched the back of his neck. The humidity was starting to get miserable. It was only late April, and it was already getting muggy. Maybe, he should get a hair cut, or at least pull it up off his neck.

"Inuyasha, are you even listening to me?"

Inuyasha snapped out of his contemplations with a shake of his head. He really needed some more sleep.

"Yeah, I heard you , you tool. Calm down, I was thinking."

"Do not try too hard, you may blow up the hotel."

Inuyasha mumbled something that sounded like, bastard brother and impending hell-spawn, which Sesshoumaru ignored in favor of ending the infuriating conversation. He had a wife to return to, after all.

"I don't think she does. Could you fax me a copy?"

Sesshoumaru agreed, the two of them hung up.

Inuyasha scowled at the phone.

"Kagome," he called. "I forgot to ask Sesshoumaru to put Miroku on the phone. Did you want to call him back."

Kagome came into the room, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she walked. Inuyasha paused for a moment to appreciate the way her shirt rode up her stomach, showing a strip of delicate, smooth skin.

"No, that's okay. I'll call back later. I'm sure Sesshoumaru will tell him that he talked to us, and that we're fine."

He nodded with her answer and got up from his seat.

Inuyasha went over to his suitcase, which he had yet to unpack, and fished out a spiral notebook. It looked worn on the edges and had a shiny, black cover. He opened it to one of the last pages with writing on it, and opened his cell phone to dial the number he had written on the page.

After a few rings, a woman answered, and Inuyasha sucked in a deep breath, wondering where to start.

--

A/N: Aishiteru is Japanese for 'I love you'. Kagome is so out of it, she doesn't realize that she is speaking Japanese. Of course, Inuyasha doesn't know Japanese. I'm mean, aren't I?

Thank you to everyone who hung in there with me. I was so excited the other week when I found out that I had over 10,000 hits on mediaminer alone. (:snickers because of the 69 reviews) What? You know y'all like my hentainess! It's over 5,000 on fan fiction. I have an account on livejournal, and I think I'm going to try and do the reviewers response there. If it doesn't work out, then I'll return to doing them on the end of the author's notes. You guys let me know, okay? The web address is malitiadixie. livejournal. com Just remove the spaces.

Alright, now that is out of the way, I'm going to try something new. I have the next chapter done, but it won't be out until July 15th. The reason is because I like to look at my chapter for a while, and sometimes Kathy-kins and I tweak things. It just makes for an all together better chapter for y'all. Anywho, the something new I'm trying is sort of like a sneak peak. I hope y'all like it. And please remember that this has not been edited yet. It will have mistakes and may have a few changes by the time the actual chapter comes out.

Chapter 21:

My First Love

After hanging up the phone, Inuyasha set out to find Kagome. He found her making them lunch in the kitchen. She was dressed casually, in a pair of loose jeans and a baby-doll tee, but he couldn't help but let his gaze wander up her long legs and her toned torso. He couldn't believe how wonderfully lucky he was to have found her.

After a few more moments, Kagome saw him from the corner of her eye and turned to smile at him. She motioned for him to set down at the island in the middle of the small kitchen, and served him a plate full of food. She knew enough about him by now not to deny him a very large portion of food.

"Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. We won't be meeting her until tomorrow. Did you still want to go sight-seeing?" he asked as she sat on the other side of the island with her own plate of food.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

--

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July, and I'll see you guys in two weeks! Reviews make me happy!


	22. Chapter 21

A/N: Here it is, as promised. Please review. They keep me going.

PLEASE READ: Just a quick, but important note. I have changed my e-mail on fan , and on media . Also, my penname has changed on . It is now kojika00. I looked into changing it on , but it seems like that is not an option. However, I am very serious about changing my penname. I hate malititadixie. I have for a while now. So, as soon as this story is finished, epilogue and all, I'll be deleting my profile on , making a new on, with a new penname, and re-posting all my stories.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever owned Inuyasha. He and all of the other character belong to Takahashi-sama. If I owned them, I would have ended the manga with a little less talk-y, and a little more smooch-y.

Chapter 21:

A Night On the Town

"Hello?" came a heavily accented voice from the other end of the line. Inuyasha recognized it as a French accent, but knew it to be Haitian instead.

"Hi, my name is Inuyasha. I'm calling because I would like to meet with you."

"For what purpose?" she asked with a little anxiety in her voice. Something must have her up in arms and Inuyasha wondered if it had anything to do with the sword.

"I have been sent to you by a man named Totosai," he answered in the most reassuring way he could possibly muster. It would do him no good to spook the woman.

The name defiantly rang bell for Jacqueline. She agreed to meet with he and Kagome the next day. Inuyasha hung up after giving her a warning about what all had happened. Jacqueline needed to know what was going on in case Naraku figured everything out. The last thing he needed was Naraku to find out where Jacqueline lived.

After hanging up the phone, Inuyasha set out to find Kagome. He found her making them lunch in the kitchen. She was dressed casually, in a pair of loose jeans and a baby-doll tee, but he couldn't help but let his gaze wander up her long legs and her toned torso. He couldn't believe how wonderfully lucky he was to have found her.

After a few more moments, Kagome saw him from the corner of her eye and turned to smile at him. She motioned for him to set down at the island in the middle of the small kitchen, and served him a plate full of food. She knew enough about him by now not to deny him a very large portion.

"Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. We won't be meeting her until tomorrow. Did you still want to go sight-seeing?" he asked as she sat on the other side of the island with her own plate of food.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I talked to Sesshoumaru and told him that we're picking up a different car. I going to get tinted windows and we'll make sure to stay in places with lots of people."

"Okay, where do you want to go first?"

"That's your decision," he explained, fishing for something in his back pocket. "Here are some brochures."

Kagome scanned the pamphlets as she finished lunch. She picked a few places and pointed them out to Inuyasha. He couldn't help the small smile on his face at her eagerness. She really did have a child-like quality about her. He hoped he could always keep her this happy.

"Okay," he began. "We'll go, but I want to take you somewhere tonight. It's one of my favorites places here. We'll eat dinner before we go."

Kagome nodded enthusiastically as she gathered the dirty dishes and placed them in the sink. She washed while Inuyasha dried the dishes and put them where they were supposed to go. Kagome felt her heart soar at the whole affair. She kept imagining them doing something like this in their own home one day. It felt so wonderful to do such mundane things with him.

After the kitchen was cleaned, they each got ready for the day. Kagome kept jumping excitedly and Inuyasha kept chuckling at her eagerness.

--

On the streets of New Orleans, a lone woman in understated clothing was walking and mingling with everyone else on the sidewalk. Kagura was biding her time, waiting for the call she was dreading. She wasn't very far from her target, but she needed to get there quickly, in case they decided to brave the out-of-doors. Naraku had been certain that they would. It was what the whole plan was riding on.

'I know what I must do,' she said to herself, trying to find more confidence. 'I just need to find a way to do it without that guy trying to shoot me.' That was the entire problem in a nutshell. If Naraku's plan went as he said it would, she wouldn't need to worry at all. However, not everything goes as planed.

'This is not going to be easy. Curse that Naraku! After this job, I am going to try again to find a way to be free of him. If I don't figure it out soon, death may be my only escape.'

Kagura slipped into a hotel's garage, and waited for her pesky cell phone to ring again.

--

"I had so much fun today. Thank you for taking me to all those places."

Inuyasha smiled. Kagome had made going to all those crowded places well worth it. Even if there were way too many people for his taste, all he had to do was look at the sheer amazement on her face, and he felt as if he could stick it out that much longer.

"No problem. I had fun, too. But, you're going to have even more fun tonight," Inuyasha promised, fixing his red tie. The restaurant they were going to was 'jacket and tie required'. His red tie stood out starkly against his black button-down shirt, black blazer, and black slacks. The only other thing that wasn't black, were his red Converse sneakers he was so well known for back at the college where he taught. Kagome had giggled when she saw the shoes, but kissed him on the cheek and told him that it was what she expected.

Inuyasha smiled at that. She was perfect in every way, wasn't she?

Only a few moments after he had finished with his tie did Kagome emerge from the bathroom, stealing his breath from his chest.

He had let her go into a clothing store by herself earlier in the day. She wanted to pick out something and surprise him, but he definitely wasn't expecting the sight she presented him with.

The dress she had chosen looked like it had been made only for her. It was a black halter dress that had an high waistline, and flowed from under her slightly exposed cleavage, to right above her knees. The sheen from the material told him that if it wasn't silk, it was going to at least feel like it to his fingertips. 'The Dress From Hell', as he had already dubbed it in his mind, dipped down so low in the back, that Inuyasha could see the dimples at the base of her spine. The heels she had paired it with were three inch sandals that accented her calves and slender ankles. All in all, it was going to be a miracle if he could make it through the night without trying to grope her in some manner. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, that he completely missed the timid question that she had asked him.

"Huh," he asked, and then cringed at his own lack of eloquence.

Kagome giggled at his response and then tried again. She couldn't blame the guy. It was hard enough to keep her mind out of the gutter, as well. Who would have known Inuyasha would look so yummy in a suit. Even if he did insist on wearing those brightly colored shoes.

"I asked if you were ready to go?"

Inuyasha nodded and moved toward her so he could slip her dainty hand in the crook of his arm and lead her to the elevator. He just didn't trust himself to speak, so he decided not to try until he could form at least one complete thought.

--

The dinner had been perfect, thanks to his dear old half-brother. Sesshoumaru had called in the reservation, so the staff at the restaurant had made damn sure that everything for the couple was special. Kagome couldn't wrap her head around the fact that they had their own, private dinning area in a five star establishment. The service had overwhelmed her a bit, and she was looking forward to Sesshoumaru and Rin deciding that they'd had enough fun trying to make up for everything.

Kagome was a simple girl, and she couldn't help but notice that Inuyasha was having a problem with all the extra attention, as well.

Her suspicions were confirmed when, the moment they stepped out onto the street, Inuyasha called his brother and sister-in-law, making sure they knew to stop going over the top.

"I'm sorry that they're interfering," he sighed.

Kagome smiled as they walked to were Inuyasha had promised to take her after dinner.

"It's okay," she replied. "They love you, and want to do nice things for you."

Inuyasha scoffed. "It has nothing to do with me. You're the one they're trying to impress. Well, not so much Sesshoumaru as Rin. She really likes you and I guess she wants you to…stick around," he finished, trying to look everywhere but at Kagome.

They hadn't really talked about what would happen after the sword was found. Inuyasha found himself wishing it would take longer, as ludicrous as it sounded. Here he was, only a few miles from what he had wanted for ten years. Then this girl had shown up and completely changed his priorities. Everything was so insane. He wanted her to stay so badly, and he hadn't even really known her all that long. Inuyasha wanted to ask her right then what she would do, but he had never been more scared in his life as to what the answer might be.

"Um…" he began and noticed the smile on Kagome's face. He waited when she looked at him with such a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Kagome had read between the lines. She found herself being able to hear what he wasn't saying more and more. It wasn't that Rin wanted her to stay. Okay, so maybe Rin did want her to stay, but that wasn't the point. Inuyasha was just as scared as she was when it came to this whole business of what would become of them. She could hear it in his voice, feel the tension rolling off his body. He wasn't saying that Rin wanted her to stay, he was saying to it wasn't _just_ Rin. He didn't want her to leave. She heard what he said in between the words.

The realization made Kagome's heart want to burst from her chest.

Inuyasha didn't have to wait long before she grabbed his hand and started to reply.

"Well, she might very well get her wish. I didn't realize how much I missed the States. I forgot how beautiful it is here. Although, I would like to see the mountains. Don't you live near the mountains, Inuyasha?" she asked, throwing him a coy smile around her hunched shoulder.

He could hear what wasn't being said, too.

_I'll stay here, as long as I get to be near you._

Inuyasha felt the breath he didn't even know he was holding suddenly burst from his lungs. A smile, that looked entirely too cocky to Kagome, found its way to his lips.

"Yeah, I sure do," he said.

_I want you to be with me._

Kagome smiled again, and tightened her grip on his hand. There were some plans to be made, but at least they knew what they both wanted. Those wants were surprisingly simple. They wanted each other.

Only a few minutes passed as they were basking in the glow of a new found peace, when they came upon a club with neon signs all around it. Almost all of them were advertising different types of alcohol, except the one on the very top of the building reading, 'Buck's'.

"We're here," Inuyasha announced, and they made their way inside.

The entire place was blanketed in a cloud of smoke, and it took Kagome a few seconds to get used to the smell. Once she did, she felt that the haziness added to the atmosphere. The blue of the neon lights above the bar, glanced off the smog, and made the whole room glow in an other-worldly way.

The place was set up with a bar running along side the entire right wall, and it had people setting on bar stools the whole way down. On the left, were low tables and chairs. In the middle, it had stairs that added a new level to the building. There were only a few tables butted up against the walls, because there were so many people in the very middle dancing, they wouldn't be able to fit any more tables if they wanted to.

At the very back of the long establishment, was a large stage, with a four piece band playing. There was a man singing and playing the guitar, a man playing a stand-up bass, a man playing a simple set of drums, and a woman who was also adding vocals. The beat was infectious and Kagome felt her entire body start swaying to the rhythm.

Inuyasha tightened his grip on her hand, and led her to one of the only table left open in the lower section. It was only a few moments after they were seated, that a waitress that didn't look any different than the patrons, came up and asked what they wanted to drink. Kagome ordered a cocktail while Inuyasha ordered a domestic beer, and when the waitress left, he proceeded to make himself comfortable by losing the tie, the blazer, and while he was at it, a few of the top buttons had to go, too.

Kagome, with a playful smile on her face, rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Feh," he replied, receiving a giggle in return.

"Thank you for everything today. I had a lot of fun. I know that's not what we're here for, but thank you anyway." She looked so happy to him. He understood why she had denied herself happiness for so long, but it still didn't sit right with him. She was meant to be happy, and he would make sure from this day forward.

"You're very welcome," came his reply. "I had fun too. I hadn't gotten around to seeing some of the places you wanted to see, yet."

Kagome smiled at him, all the while sipping at her drink and swaying to the music.

The song she had been listening to ended, and she looked to the stage. The man that was playing the guitar laid his instrument down on a stand, and the rest of the musician's left the stage, with the exception of the woman. She moved her microphone stand to a piano set at the very back of the stage. Shortly after, the man who had abandoned his guitar sat at the sleek, black piano and adjusted the microphone that had been placed there for him.

"Dance with me," came Inuyasha's request.

Kagome stared at him with wide eyes. She couldn't tell him no, even though it had been years since she was ever on a dance floor. The last time she could remember was a cousin's wedding, years ago, where Miroku had made her dance with him.

She couldn't tell him no, not with him looking so hopeful.

Kagome placed her hand in his, and they made they're way into the center of all the couples that had already taken positions.

The first tickles of keys could be heard, and Inuyasha smiled at her, and took the first step.

--

A/N: Yes, this is very short compared to my usual length of chapters, but it needed to end here for the moment. I have something very special planned for the next chapter, so I hope you all stay tuned. By the way, I haven't heard any complaints about the review responses being on livejournal, so I'll continue to do them that way until I hear otherwise. Once again, the web address is malitiadixie. livejournal. com

Also, just a quick warning. This next chapter is pretty much all lemon. However, there are some subtle things that happen. If you do not want to read it because of the graphic nature, please contact me, and I'll e-mail you a synopsis, as there will be no clean chapter. I repeat: There will be NO clean chapter 22.

See you on July 29th!

--

Chapter 22:

My First Love

_Now we've been through too much together  
And that's separate us from the rest  
Now we are approaching up on stormy weather  
Let's see what our love is made of_

Kagome gave a little squeak as Inuyasha pulled her swiftly into his body. She had heard him laugh at her, _again, _and was about to chaste him before his hard torso collided with hers. The next thing she knew, his hand was so low on her back, that he was almost touching her bottom. His other hand went to brush her hair from her neck, so he could gently kiss her. The moist breath on her ear made her tremble.

"You're going to have to get a little closer to me than that, Kagome. That's not how you dance to a song like this. Look at the people around you," he prompted.

(Please, remember that this hasn't been edited, yet.)


	23. Chapter 22

A/N: The name of the song used in the chapter is called 'My First Love'. It is a duet sung by Anthony Hamilton (one of my favorite artists) and LaToya Williams. It is a very beautiful song. I highly recommend (as does the ever intelligent Kathy-kins) that, if at all possible, you listen to the song as you read the chapter. It really helps set the mood. I found a pretty nice quality version of it on youtube.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or 'My First Love'. I forgot to put a disclaimer last time, I think. :huffs: Well, sue me, why don't you?! No…wait. I was just kidding! :runs from the evil lawyers while blowing a raspberry: You'll never catch me!

IMPORTANT: Please note that this is a chapter that is basically all lemon. At least the last part is. There is NO clean version of this chapter. If you do not want to read such things, or you are too young, you can contact me and I'll give you a synopsis. You have been warned!

My First Love:

Kagome was more than a little nervous when they first hit the dance floor. What if she stepped on his toes, or worse, tripped over her _own_ feet? It had been so long, but she was pretty sure she still knew how to dance.

The music flowed around her, and the bodies on the floor moved as one. Kagome made a perfect right angle with her left elbow, as she had been taught, and delicately laid her open palm to Inuyasha's.

Inuyasha watched Kagome's nerves eat at her. It was so very cute to see her blush that hard. As soon as he had decided to put her out of her misery, and tell her that they didn't have to dance if she didn't feel comfortable, he saw an air of determination consume her, and her hands touched his shoulder and his left hand. She looked as if she were bloody ballroom room dancing.

Inuyasha chuckled and shook his head.

_Now we've been through too much together_

_And that's separate us from the rest_

_Now we are approaching up on stormy weather_

_Let's see what our love is made of_

Kagome gave a little squeak as Inuyasha pulled her swiftly into his body. She had heard him laugh at her, _again, _and was about to chastise him before his hard torso collided with hers. The next thing she knew, his hand was so low on her back, that he was almost touching her bottom. His other hand went to brush her hair from her neck, so he could gently kiss her. The moist breath on her ear made her tremble.

"You're going to have to get a little closer to me than that, Kagome. That's not how you dance to a song like this. Look at the people around you," he prompted.

Kagome turned her head to do just that, and marveled at what she saw. Women, grinding on the men in front of them. Men, with their hands in places that they wouldn't have normally been. Palms cupping asses, fingers running through hair…Kagome gasped.

"Why in the world would they do that in front of other people," she whispered, hoping no one would hear her talking about them.

"Because no one is looking. Everyone but you is a little busy looking at someone else."

Kagome looked at the people around her once again. He was right. She had been so wrapped up in what their bodies were doing, she had completely missed their faces. No one was looking around. No one was looking at her. They were all deeply devoted to the person attached to them. She blushed once again, feeling like she was spying on a moment even more private than the physical act of love.

And then, Inuyasha moved, and time stopped._  
_

_  
I hate you were crying last night_

_Said I should've been by your side_

_Girl, please, don't you leave me_

_And, girl, don't you say goodbye_

_  
_It took her a moment to get her equilibrium back, and it took even longer to mimic his movement, but Kagome found out very quickly how great a teacher Inuyasha was. After a while, she grew more brazen in her actions. Her arms circled lazily around his neck, and she just let herself flow with the music and his body.

'This is bad, this is bad, this is bad…'

Inuyasha was kicking his own ass for the suggested dance. He had no idea she could move like she was. Kagome had picked up much more quickly then he thought she would. He had seen her look around to the other couples, and now she was using the moves she saw, and it was having a very bad effect on his restraint.

She had finally figured out, that if she placed a leg in between his, she could dip her hips low and roll her way back up. If that wasn't bad enough, the tiny, mischievous smile on her lips had almost led to his complete undoing. Then, the leg that was not in between his own, suddenly trailed up the outside seam of his slacks. Out of sheer instinct, he grabbed it at the bend of her knee, and immediately wished he hadn't.

Kagome had not planned on him grabbing her leg. She was finally feeling free and decided to try some different things. She felt him stiffen and heard a low groan in her ear. Kagome's breath caught and a thousand different moments of being intimate with Inuyasha suddenly flashed before her eyes.

She tried to slide her leg down the way it had come, but Inuyasha's grip on her tightened. Apparently he'd had the same visions. His calloused hand forced her bare leg to hook around his, and then he trailed said hand up her thigh, pushing the flimsy material of her skirt with it. She gasped and clutched at the front of his shirt.

_  
Now, we've been through too much together_

_And we're approaching stormy weather_

_But girl, you're my first love_

_And no matter what the people say_

_I'm gonna love you anyway_

_Girl, you're my first love_

"Let's get out of here," came his husky voice. The sensation of his mouth against her ear nearly did it for her. She held herself together, barely, and simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He begrudgingly let go of his almost death hold on her body, and grabbed her hand, pulling her through all the grinding bodies to find their table.

After gathering their things and paying the bill, Inuyasha ushered her outside the building, and rushed her into a cab.

Kagome could feel her beating hard enough to burst from her chest. She was aware of every movement, every sound he made. It was as if he were calling to her soul, or another, more intimate location.

Inuyasha's hands were shaking when he jumped into the cab beside Kagome. He'd had to get out of there. He needed air, and he was pretty sure Kagome didn't want him throwing her down on the floor in the middle of all those other people. At the time, he had thought that. Now, looking at Kagome, looking at him, he wasn't sure she would have cared.

_--_

"How much farther do we have to go?"

"We'll be there tomorrow afternoon."

"What do you think they're doing right now?"

"Well, it is ten at night. What do couples normally do when they're in a hotel room together?"

"I had no idea your mind worked that way."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me."

"Really? I guess I should find out what these things are, don't you?"

Feminine laughter cut through the stillness of the hotel room, and mischievous, husky laughter answered its call.

--

They didn't even last until the end of the elevator ride. Kagome's fear of the things was nonexistent, not when the object of her sexual frustrations was only a foot away from her.

As soon as the doors closed, she was pulling him to her, drawing him back into exactly what he had hoped to escape when he plucked her from the club. With a pained groan, he lifted her by her thighs, and wrapped her around his torso. What was the use in resisting? He couldn't even remember, now. Not when she was so close and so willing.

Who was he to say no? 

_  
Boy, I swear I think you're sacred_

_And I'm so thankful that you live_

_If I could take back all of the sorrow_

_Then I'd, I'd replace it with a kisses_

Kagome had never felt so free. She felt as if, by being with him, she was doing precisely what she was supposed to do. She had never felt that way in her entire life. It was…as if her life was finally in accordance with how it should be. She didn't even know how to describe it. It just was. It was a feeling right in the middle of her chest. It seemed as if her heart would explode from the sheer weight of it all. And it was all because of the wonderful man that had saved her, mind, body and soul.

What would she do without him? She didn't even want to think about it. It was a very depressing thought. She had to have him, all of him. She couldn't ever be without him. Inuyasha was now her everything, had been from the moment she opened her eyes and looked into his own. It was a done deal. Now, she had to make sure that he knew how much he had given her, and she would start with this.

Kagome realized, very much in a haze, that they had gotten off the elevator some time ago, and now Inuyasha was trying to find their bed in the dark. She giggle against his mouth when he stumbled for what seemed like the millionth time, before turning on a lamp.

Inuyasha couldn't help himself. It was so surreal. The woman of his dream, literally, was in his arms and wanted him. He could feel her want, taste it. It was almost a touchable, tangible thing.

When he finally, _finally_ made it to the bed they had shared, his relief was instant. Now, he could get to the part where he showed her how much she meant to him.

Kagome felt the silly mood she was in change. The eyes that she had found so cool and calm before, were now looking at her with the most intense heat she had ever known. She felt a split second of apprehension, but only because she wondered if she would be good enough for him. He was experienced, and she was…well, she had never had a lick of experience. The man above her had shown her everything. She hoped he would continue to do so, and not feel like he was placating some child.

Inuyasha leaned down slowly and captured Kagome's lips. The kiss was soft and sweet and everything he had come to expect from the woman below him. What he didn't expect was the sudden urgency in her touch, in her mouth. She parted her lips and let her tongue caress his with a purpose. He almost completely lost himself, but managed to meet her stroke for stroke. Her hands were caught in his own, and he forced them to the side of her head. She had to stop touching him for a second before he did something that he would regret. For example, leaning her over the banister attached to their balcony flashed in his mind. He bit back a groan at the thought.

It wasn't okay to do that, though. It was her first time. It needed to be gentle and special. Something they both could look back on one day and cherish.

_You're the air that I breathe_

_The perfect one for me_

_And baby I, I refuse to let you go_

_And I refuse to let you leave  
_

Kagome was getting impatient. She could hardly stand the way his body pressed her into the mattress. It was so hot. The temperature seemed to be rising by the second. Something had to be done.

"Clothes,…please…" she begged, her lips still pressed lightly to his. She didn't even care how desperate she sounded. He was the only one who would hear her. Inuyasha would never judge her.

The answering, throaty moan confirmed her thoughts. Inuyasha had never heard something so devastating before. She made his knees weak with her need. He never hesitated as he felt for the bottom hem of 'the dress from hell'. He had wanted to strip it from her the entire night. Now, his silent wish was granted. As the dress went over her head, Kagome sighed in relief and then attacked the buttons on his dress shirt. He helped her by unzipping his slacks and moving to stand so he could remove them.

Because of the way the dress she had worn that night fit, Kagome hadn't been wearing a bra. He looked at her with amazement clouding his sight.

The black, silk panties she had worn were still on, as were the heals that practically screamed, 'please fuck me'. Her knees were slightly bent and closed, and she had her arms crossed over her chest, modest until the end.

Kagome blushed so hard that she was sure that her face was melting from the heat. He was staring at her and she couldn't help the sudden shyness that swept over her. He was looking particularly yummy himself, and if she wasn't so scared of watching him watch her, she would have been ogling him, too.

Inuyasha grabbed the foot closest to him, and slid the shoe off her delicate foot. He kissed the arch before placing it back onto the bed and then doing to same to the other. He smoothed his palms up her strong thighs and grabbed the last piece of clothing left between them. Kagome shivered as he slid them down her legs.

Making his way back to where he had originally been, he could hear her breathing increase. He own breathing was a little off, as well. Inuyasha placed a hand on her left knee and pushed it to the side. He didn't want to scare her, so he went slowly, giving her every opportunity to state her objections.

"Kagome?"

"Yes?" she breathed.

"Look at me, please."

It took Kagome a second before her eyes would comply with his request. She was still so embarrassed. Sure, he had seen her the other night, but the lights had been off. This time, a lamp in the corner was lit, and she couldn't help but think that he was going to find something wrong with her body. She opened her eyes, and looked forward, but miscalculated somehow. Instead of looking at his face, her gaze had fallen upon his…she couldn't even think the word. She swallowed and traced the lines leading from his center to his hips. Up from there was a stomach that she could lick clean of anything. From there was a strong chest and fantastic shoulders. Finally, his face, that was doing a poor job of hiding his amusement of her lingering gaze, was the most beautiful of it all.

A surge of male pride filled Inuyasha as he watched her eyes take him in. He had never seen eyes that wide and awe-filled. He couldn't ever remember feeling so wanted. She gave him things that he never knew he needed. The approval on her face, the hooding of her eyes as she made her way up his body, turned him on like nothing ever had before.

"Tell me something, Kagome." She nodded that she was listening. "You said something last night. I'm sure it was Japanese. I wondered if you would tell me what it means."

As he was making his speech, his nimble fingers had found that bundle of nerves that had made her pant the night before. Kagome threw her head back and whimpered.

"It started with an 'A', ari…ais…hi…teru? Aishiteru?" Kagome's eyes snapped open and she froze. Inuyasha smiled. He already knew what it meant. He had called Sesshoumaru earlier that day and asked him. Sesshoumaru had teased him to no end before telling him, but Inuyasha was glad he went through the trouble, in the end. Yes, he knew, but he wanted to hear her say it.

_Now, we've been through too much together_

_And we're approaching stormy weather_

_But boy, you're my first love_

_And no matter what the people_

_Say I'm gonna love you anyway_

_Boy, you're my first love_

"I…did I really say that?" Kagome couldn't believe her ears. She thought she had dreamed that. She could have possibly said that, right? The look on Inuyasha's face made her want to hide. He must have already figured it out. The smirk was very telling. Did he think it was that funny? She wanted to die.

Kagome reached down to stop his hand. She couldn't believe how stupid she was. Of course he thought it was funny. Here she was, the girl who had never had a relationship, and she had fallen in love with the first man that had shown her any sort of kindness. It hurt so bad, she could feel the moisture gather in her eyes.

Inuyasha was horrified at Kagome's expression. He didn't understand. Had she not meant to say that? Was she thinking of someone else in her half awake state, and said that aloud by mistake? He could feel her trying to get away from him, but he wanted answers, so he grabbed her arms and placed his weight on her. The tears in her eyes confused him even more.

"I don't understand. Why did you say it, if you were going to pull away from me when I found out? Do you not really feel that way? You can tell me…" he whispered. The hurt in his voice couldn't be hidden. He winced at what he had given away. She had to know that he felt that way, even if she didn't.

Kagome didn't want to believe her ears. The emotion in his question told her that she had been wrong. Could it be that he felt the same way? Was it possible? There was really only one way to find out.

"I thought you were laughing at me," she whispered. "Do you…really know what it means?"

Inuyasha let go of her arms when he was certain that she was going to stay put. He lifted his body and moved his hands to cup her face and catch her tears.

"I would never laugh at something like that. How could you think that? Yes, I know what it means. I was just teasing you a little. I'm sorry, I just wanted to hear you say it, in English. I wanted to hear the words," he ended, brushing his nose against hers. He closed his eyes and waited for a reply.

Kagome's breath caught when she heard his unvoiced reply. He wanted to hear it from her, now, so he would know. For a moment, she couldn't find her voice. She had wanted to tell him for what felt like forever. Now was her chance to back up all the bravery pep talks she had been giving herself. He was right, how could she think that? This was the turning point in her life. He had changed so much inside of her. No longer was she that girl that thought that she would never have anything good. He had given her that something good. Now, she could start over, with him by her side, and she would have the life that she always was afraid to go after. No more fear, no more running, no more hesitation.

She grabbed his face in between her hands, and waited until he opened his eyes.

"I love you," she whispered.

Inuyasha let out a strangled breath of relief. He kissed her deeply and held her tight to his body.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he said again and again. He heard Kagome sob and sniff, but he knew that it was happiness. He own eyes threatened to pour as he heard her tell him again and again, too.

_Now, we've been through too much together_

_And we're approaching stormy weather_

_You're my first love_

_No matter what the people say_

_I'm gonna love you anyway_

_You're my first love_

_My first love_

The heat between them grew again like it had never left off. Inuyasha's fingers made their way between their bodies again and resumed what he had started. He wanted so badly just to sink inside of her, to be so close to her that they weren't two people anymore, but one. But, he knew that he needed to make it as easy as possible for her. He didn't want to hurt her. He would never forgive himself if he did. He slid a few fingers inside. Kagome arched up into his body and moaned.

She could feel that tightening again. It was like last night, only more. She stiffened when he pushed her over the edge, and when she finally came to, she could feel him positioning himself for what was to come.

Inuyasha settled between her legs and kissed her. He looked into her glassy eyes and silently asked if it was okay to begin. Kagome answered by tightening her hold on his back.

They never stopped gazing at each other and he finalized the encounter.

And it was…perfect.

He found in her the missing pieces of his heart, that had been taken from him.

She found the love that she had always wanted, craved.

The world grew still around them, and they were the only two people in existence.

It wasn't what she thought it would be, it was more. It only pinched a little, but when he was all the way against her, she was complete, full…and she could feel his love that he had told her about only moments before.

Nothing mattered anymore to Inuyasha but the woman that felt so good around him. Not the woman that had shattered him, not the family he had lost, not the sword that seemed so important only a few weeks ago.

She was life, she was existence, she was meaning.

_I will not let you go away_

Kagome was the first to break the connection of sight. She closed her eyes and tucked her head in between his cheek and shoulder. He hadn't moved yet, but she hadn't been ready until now. It was such a foreign feeling, to have him be so close. She just wanted to feel that for a moment before they let time move forward, again. But now, something was changing. The feeling of fullness was turning into something else.

"Are you okay?" she heard Inuyasha rasp into her ear.

"Yes," she sighed.

Inuyasha gently pulled away from her, only a little, to see if she was really as okay as she sounded.

A smothered gasp answered his question. Kagome's hips moved toward his, seeking what she didn't even know she needed. He grit his teeth and slowly started a rhythm.

Kagome didn't make a sound for a minute, and he asked her a few more times if she was okay, but she maintained that she was, and that he should keep going.

When he had all but made himself certain that something was wrong, he moved his body to tilt back and look at her, but the new angle made her suddenly tense.

"Oh," she whispered, and her head fell back, pushing against the pillow she was lying upon.

Inuyasha felt her _pull _him, and he groaned low in his throat. He grabbed her thighs and hooked her knees to his elbows. With her lifted against him, he started again, and this time, she was enjoying it as much as he was. He watched her twist and arch. Her breasts bounce lightly with his movements, and he knew she was close, by the pitch changing in her voice and the quivering of her moist heat around him.

He leaned down again, and cupped her face. She looked like she was holding back, and he need her to stop so she could go to that blissful place with him. He let all his weight fall on her, and pushed against her. She gasped and snapped her eyes to look at his face hovering above her own.

_You're my first love_

That feeling was there again, but she didn't know how to get there. Kagome's entire body was straining, trying to figure out what was needed to feel like she had before. She looked into his deep, penetrating gaze and waited for him to show her.

"Let go," he said and kiss her so deeply, that she knew that he was touching her soul. He pushed again, and she finally felt it break free, washing over her in waves of sensation that started from her middle and worked across her whole body, ending with her fingers and toes.

She could vaguely feel Inuyasha fall with her. His strangled cry against her mouth made her want to cling to him that much more tightly.

They rode their high together for a few more seconds before gently coming back down to earth.

Inuyasha fell to her side, and with his last ounce of strength, pulled her body to mold against his.

_You're my baby_

"Mmmm…" he rumbled against her cheek as he listened to her get her breathing under control.

He felt Kagome smile against his throat. The smile that broke out on his own face threatened to tear his cheeks. He couldn't remember the last time he was so happy.

Kagome yawned and cuddled against him. It was safe and warm here, and she was so delightfully, disgustingly happy, she couldn't find the strength to care that there was a wetness between her legs, or that her legs didn't even seem to work correctly anymore.__

_I love you_

Inuyasha chuckled into her hair. "Are you sleepy?" he asked.

"Uh huh," she answered with a dreamy sort of tone.

He kissed her forehead and pulled the covers over the both of them.

"I love you, Kagome."

"That has to be the best thing I've ever heard." She moved her head so she could seek out his lips. "I love you," she said after a chaste kiss.

They fell asleep knowing that it would be different. Their lives were going to be better now that they had one another.

_My first love_

_--_

A/N: Well, there you have it, my very first lemon scene. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I liked writing it. I would very much appreciate some feedback. As usual, I will be posting the review responses on livejournal. The address is malitiadixie(dot)live journal(dot)com. The next chapter will be posted on August 12th. Without further ado, the sneak peek for chapter 23. Please remember that this has not had the final edit, yet. Enjoy!

Cease of Calm:

Inuyasha and Kagome made their way down a long, dirt road with dense flora on each side. The spanish moss grew thick on the trees. It seemed as if the road would never end, and Inuyasha felt a moment of hesitation, where he wondered if he'd taken a wrong turn somewhere.

Before he could make up his mind whether he wanted to turn around and figure out where he had gone astray, a grey, little wooden house made an appearance. It was on the edge of a lake of sorts, with a small dock off the side.

It looked well taken care of, if a little old.

He could see the advantages of living so far off the beaten path. She must have had a lot of privacy.

Kagome and Inuyasha stepped out of the car, and made their way to the screen covered front door. He leaned forward and knocked.


	24. Chapter 23

A/N: Here's a little treat for you. I got finished with the next early, so here is the new chapter. A week early!! Go me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 23:

Cease of Calm

The next morning, Kagome woke up to find herself tangled so deliciously around the man that she loved. She wanted to stay there for as long as possible, but her bladder was making itself known.

She slowly slid her limbs from him, and stood up on two shaky legs. It was hard to walk and she was so sore. She hoped it wouldn't always be like this. It wasn't a bad kind of soreness, more like the day after you first start a gym. There was a sort of pride that came with it, and it lessened the effect somewhat. However, she couldn't hold the hiss of breath that escaped her as she made her way around the bed to the bathroom.

Inuyasha must have heard her, because he was up and by her side faster than she though possible for someone who had just been in a deep sleep.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a hint of anxiousness in his voice. He pulled her and the sheet she was wearing up into his inviting arms.

"It's nothing," she told him, and smiled at the feeling are closeness that they now shared. "I'm just a little sore. It's nothing a nice, hot shower won't fix."

He carefully looked at her face. He was sure it was worse than she was letting on, but the contented smile on her face made him realize that she really was okay. For that, he was thankful.

"If you're sure…"

Kagome nodded and slipped from his grip after placing a chaste kiss on his mouth. Inuyasha stood beside the bed until the door to the bathroom was closed firmly behind her, then he flopped back on the bed.

He was sure it was all a dream when he felt her shift beside him. He was still trying to remember what was dream and what wasn't when he heard her sharp intake of breath, then everything had come tumbling into place.

Inuyasha could clearly see what had happened now. Her head thrown back, her smooth skin, her voice as she called his name. He cut his thoughts off before he could get too carried away, lest he jump her when she finished in the restroom.

Inuyasha flopped back on the bed with a happy sigh. This was what he had wanted. It's what he had always wanted. No longer would he look at his brother and his sister-in-law and feel that bitter twang of jealousy.

Kagome finished her shower and walked into the common area wrapped in a towel. "When are we leaving to meet Jacqueline?" she asked, while picking out what she was going to wear that day.

Inuyasha got up from the bed, and entered the bathroom so he could take a shower. "We're suppose to meet her before lunch," he called. "If you want breakfast you should order some room service."

After breakfast was eaten, they started their day. Neither of them could remember ever being so happy. Kagome vaguely wondered when the world would break into song.

--

Inuyasha and Kagome made their way down a long, dirt road with dense flora on each side. The spanish moss grew thick on the trees. It seemed as if the road would never end, and Inuyasha felt a moment of hesitation, where he wondered if he'd taken a wrong turn somewhere.

Before he could make up his mind whether he wanted to turn around and figure out where he had gone astray, a little, grey, wooden house made an appearance. It was on the edge of a lake of sorts, with a small dock off to the side.

It looked well taken care of, if a little old.

He could see the advantages of living so far off the beaten path. She must have had a lot of privacy.

Kagome and Inuyasha stepped out of the car, and made their way to the screen covered front door. He leaned forward and knocked.

"Who is it?" asked a flowing, lovely voice.

"It's Inuyasha. I called you yesterday about the sword?"

Swiftly, the door was flung open and a woman appeared in the darkness left in its absence.

Kagome couldn't help but wonder how a person could be so beautiful. She had honey-brown skin and her eyes were a deep, dark caramel. He hair was braided very tightly against her scalp. The braids stopped at the nape of her neck, and the natural curl of what was left flowed down to the middle of her back.

The woman's cheekbones were extremely pronounced, and it gave her a very regal look. She had full, plump lips that were turned into a frown.

She was slim, but curvy in all the right ways. Her bare-footed toes peeked from the bottom of the flowing skirt she wore, and the toe nail polish matched the red in her tank-top.

She had such an inviting face, but it was marred by the furrowing of her brow.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked while pulling them both by their arms into her house. "Don't you realize what it is that you have come for? You said so yourself that there was a vile man following you."

The smoothness of her heavily accented voice negated the anger in her tone. Kagome's eyes widened when Jacqueline threw her arms up into the air in frustration.

"Jeez, lady. I didn't realize that you thought someone was in the woods spying. No one knows you, or even that you have anything. The only way I knew, was because Totosai told us. I very much doubt if he told anyone else. He went to a lot of trouble to see that it was safe with you."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said with a little anger in her voice. She was only trying to be careful. He shouldn't fault her for that.

"Never mind, just come in and have a seat," Jacqueline said with a flip of her wrist. She was already halfway to the sitting room when Inuyasha and Kagome noticed. They hurried to catch up. The woman sure was spirited.

As soon as Jacqueline was sure they were comfortable on the swanky couch that was in the middle of her knock-off oriental rug, she crouched down in the corner of the far side of the room, and pulled up a loose board in the hardwood floor. Kagome wondered if anything in the whole house matched.

A dusty wooden box was in her hands when she made her way back to the couple. She took a seat and wiped the gray particles from the top. The silver latches made an audible pop as she released them.

Inuyasha could barely stand the anticipation as the lid was lifted, and he released a deep breath when the glint of gold was seen in the woman's hands. She carefully placed it back into the box, and then handed it to him.

He shifted so he could lay it across his lap, and stared in awe at the culmination of his efforts. Here is was, in his hands, what he had been dreaming of for so long he could hardly remember what it felt like not to be combing the globe for even the tiniest of hints. To most people, it was just a sword. Just a rusty, old katana in a ragged sheath. To him, it was his family, his history, his forefathers.

He expected some kind of fanfare to go off inside of his head when this moment finally came. He expected choirs of angels and the clouds to part. But, with Kagome sitting beside him, her happiness for him showing in her smile and glassiness of her gaze, all he could think or feel was the extreme relief that it was finally over.

Not just because he had waited to close this chapter in his life for so long, but because he was free from the burden. He was free to start a new life, one in which he hoped that Kagome would continue to be by his side.

It was all so strange. It was all so…

…unexpected.

And it made him feel like he could fly.

Inuyasha put an arm around Kagome, and squeezed her tight against his side. She giggled beside him, and made him laugh in return.

He looked forward, just in time to see Jacqueline smile at the scene before her.

"Thank you," he said, never meaning it more in his life.

She nodded, the smile still gracing her lips.

"You're welcome."

Kagome chose that moment to finally say something.

"I have a copy of the will for you, if you would like to see it. The proprietor of the museum isn't present, I know, but Inuyasha is a representative of the museum." She dug into her bag, and grabbed the papers that Sesshoumaru had faxed them.

"That's okay. I believe you. Totosai called me and told me all about the situation. He described Inuyasha to me, and I must say, when he told me silver hair and golden eyes, I laughed at him, and told him that he must be going crazy." She let a twitter of a giggle escape.

Inuyasha barked out a laugh, as well.

"That's okay," he assured her. "I get it all the time."

"Well," exclaimed Jacqueline, as she clapped her hands in front of herself. "Since it's almost lunch time, how about I make you two something to eat?"

--

After lunch, the three of them chatted a while. It seemed to get dark rather quickly. Jacqueline explained that the dense forest around her home caused it to seem darker than it actually was. Inuyasha and Kagome decided to leave around six o'clock.

"I'll warn you. Don't take that sword out of that box. It was safe inside the house, but outside, it can be compromised."

Inuyasha nodded at Jacqueline's sagely spoken words. He didn't believe in that kind of stuff, but he wasn't going to take any chances.

Kagome absorbed everything the woman had said. She found it all fascinating. She had asked all sorts of questions during lunch and the hours after. Jacqueline had patiently answered each one, and Kagome came away with a greater respect for the woman. It seemed that she was a highly sought after woman for the knowledge she carried. She was also a staple in the community where she lived. She'd had at least five guest show up from the time Kagome and Inuyasha arrived. They'd had some kind of problem or another. Kagome had watched as Jacqueline listened to each problem, and then scurried around her home to find the things she required to help each person in need.

Kagome hugged the woman lightly, and giggled when Jacqueline placed a kiss on each cheek. She held Kagome by the arms and looked her over thoughtfully.

"You know what? Maybe I can do something for you," she finished with a smile. She stepped back from Kagome, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Kagome watched as the woman pointed her index finger in her direction, and then started to draw in the air some sort of symbol. When she was finished, Jacqueline stepped forward again and grabbed Kagome's hands into her own.

"Gentle Guardian wise and strong, keep her as she doth belong. Safe within thy charge and care, the current problem to fare. No harm to come or ill to befall. Guarded and safe through it all." 1

Jacqueline sighed, opened her eyes, and let Kagome's hands fall to her sides.

"What was that?" asked Inuyasha. He was more than a little overwhelmed. He never was the sort for organized religion. He liked to move to the beat of his own drum a little too much for that.

Jacqueline smiled at him.

"It's only for a little while, but she should be safe until you make it back to North Carolina."

"Oh," she Kagome. "Thank you, for everything."

"You're very welcome. If you're ever in these parts again, come and see me."

And with that, they were in the car, and traveling back down the long driveway.

--

"So, where do you want to eat dinner?"

"I don't care. Nothing too greasy, though. You don't mind do you?" asked Kagome, as she rolled her head across the headrest to look at Inuyasha.

"No, not at all. I'm actually hoping to find some sushi joint. I think I remember where one is."

Kagome smiled. She loved sushi. She had no idea how many things they had in common. It seemed like they kept piling up.

"That's a great idea. I do so miss sushi. I eat it a lot back home."

"Speaking of home," Inuyasha began. They had touched on the subject the night before, but he wanted to be perfectly clear. "When we were talking last night, you sort of implied that you would like to stay here. Did you mean that? I guess what I'm asking is, if you would mind staying with me…would you?"

He felt like an idiot. Inuyasha couldn't seem to get a full sentence out without feeling like he was going to choke on his own tongue. He'd had sex with the woman for crying out loud! Why couldn't get just ask her to move in with him and be done with it? Inuyasha sighed and waited for her answer.

Kagome couldn't help but grin. She was feeling self-conscience after the night before, too. It helped to hear his reassurance that he still wanted her to stay with him.

"I'd like that, if that's what you want."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind that at all. We can sort it all out later."

The shared a smile and some comfortable silence.

It wasn't long after their little confirmation that Inuyasha remembered where he had seen that sushi place. They were pulling in the parking lot minutes later.

After eating until they'd deemed themselves full, Kagome excused herself to visit the ladies room, and Inuyasha paid the tab.

When the waiter brought back his change, he heard his phone ring and he answered it.

--

Sesshoumaru was in his office finishing up some paper work for his lawyers. Rin had taken off to get some groceries and other odds and ends.

Rin seemed to have that glow about her already. They wouldn't know for a few more weeks of course, but it was nice to think about. He knew about female cycles, and as far as Rin was concerned, they were pregnant. She had told him that right now was her most fertile, seeing how her monthly visitor had stopped while he was out of town for those few days. He hoped it was true, but he already knew somehow. Rin said she could tell too, but that didn't mean they wouldn't keep trying if it wasn't true. If he had his way, as soon as she got home, they would try again…

That woman always could keep his mind further in the gutter than it should be.

As he sat pondering what kind of underpants his Rin could be wearing, his phone rang. He answered it without even looking at the caller ID.

--

"She's in the bathroom now. What about the other one?"

"Here in front of me. It doesn't look like he's anywhere around."

"Okay, as soon as she's out of everyone's sight, take action. Call me back as soon as it's done."

--

"Ahhh, nice of you two to answer your phones at such an hour."

"Naraku!" spat Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha?" asked Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru?" asked Inuyasha, just as puzzled.

"Well, now that that is out of the way. I have something to tell you both that you may want to hear."

Inuyasha nearly smashed the phone into pieces. He hated the bastard with every fiber of his being.

Sesshoumaru wasn't doing much better. He had known that Naraku wasn't going to give up that easy. 'The deep breath before the plunge' 2 came to mind. He had tried to be as ready as possible. Now, he just wanted to be done with it, so he could find out where the man was, and wreak some havoc of his own.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru asked at the same time.

That made Naraku chuckle madly. It was so much fun to rile up the brothers. 'This is going to be so much fun,' he thought.

"I wanted to call and tell you that I found something of yours. You shouldn't leave things lying around. Someone is libel to pick them up, right from under your noses."

"Inuyasha, where is the sword?"

"It's right here beside me. I have my eyes on it right now."

"What in the world are you going on about, you parasite?" Sesshoumaru was losing his patience. That…was never a good thing.

"And how are your wonderful ladies this evening? Maybe you should check on them."

Inuyasha sucked in a deep gasp, and jumped up so quickly that the table was barely able to remain on all fours. He grabbed the sword and tucked it under his arm before running to the area where the restrooms were. He barreled through the door of the ladies room.

"Kagome!" he shouted. He tried a few more times before it sunk in.

"You bastard! Where is she?" he seethed through gritted teeth.

Sesshoumaru was busy on his own end. He was checking the tracking device in Rin's cell phone on his laptop. It seemed she was miles from where she was supposed to be, and getting further and further away.

"What is it you want, Naraku?" If he showed emotions now, it would do no good. Besides, Inuyasha was showing enough emotion for the both of them. Oh, but did he feel the anger churning in his belly…

"I want the swords, of course," he replied. "I want both of them. Sesshoumaru, I assume you already have your wife traced. Rest assured that the other woman will be joining her shortly. You both will meet me here, and we'll trade the girls for the swords. You will not contact the authorities. If I have even the slightly feeling that you have done so, I'll slit both their pretty, little throats from ear to ear. Oh, and don't take too long. The longer I wait, the less I can promise that I won't rough them up a little. They are very beautiful women, after all."

"If you touch a hair on Kagome's head, I'll slit you from ass to appetite, got it?!"

"Well, I'll leave you to gentlemen to your thoughts…" and with that, he hung up.

--

1 This an actual protection spell. It is specifically for short-term only. You can find it at www(dot)khakani(dot)com/ freemagicspells/ freemagicprotectionspells2(dot)htm Take out the spaces and whatnot.

2 This is a line from 'Lord of the Ring: The Return of the King'. It is a line spoken by Gandalf.

--

A/N: Well, the main arc of the story is back on, and I hope you guys are holding tight to your seats. It's all down hill from here. Just a side note, my story 'Sorry' was nominated in the IYFG for Best Songfic. Thank you to wbakerhubbardave for nominating it, and ktshabatie for seconding it. As usual, the review responses can be found at malitia dixie(dot)live journal(dot)com.

Here is the sneak peek for the next chapter…

Chapter 24:

Reassurance

In the end, Inuyasha had to step away from the phone for a moment. If the sounds coming from the other end of the line meant anything, Sesshoumaru was going to have to pay for a table at some restaurant in Louisiana.

It's not that Sesshoumaru didn't understand his younger brother's frustration or anger. He, himself, wanted to tear into something so bad that his fingers twitched on top of his desk. However, he was too busy trying to think of a plan to get both of the women back safely. He didn't trust Naraku to be true to his word. There was no guarantee that he would return Kagome and Rin unharmed, if he returned them at all. He wouldn't leave anything like that to chance.

"Fuck!!" cried Inuyasha into the phone. It startled Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts. "Well, where the hell is he taking them?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at the computer screen that showed a red dot as the location of Rin's cell phone.

"They are in South Carolina, close to the Georgia border."


	25. Chapter 24

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is so late. I've had writer's block for a few weeks. Thank God for betas or you wouldn't have a new chapter yet. Kathy-kins is the most wonderful person in the entire world and one hell of a muse.

Also, please review. I don't care if it's one word. I live and thrive off reviews and so does this story. Please remember that.

Disclaimer: They are not mine!

Chapter 24:

Reassurance

"_Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward._

_Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both._

_For a wounded man shall say to his assailant:_

_If I live_

_I will kill you,_

_If I die_

_You are forgiven._

_Such is the rule of honor."_

_Omerta_ - Lamb of God

In the end, Inuyasha had to step away from the phone for a moment. If the sounds coming from the other end of the line meant anything, Sesshoumaru was going to have to pay for a table at some restaurant in Louisiana.

It's not that Sesshoumaru didn't understand his younger brother's frustration or anger. He, himself, wanted to tear into something so bad that his fingers twitched on top of his desk. However, he was too busy trying to think of a plan to get both of the women back safely. He didn't trust Naraku to be true to his word. There was no guarantee that he would return Kagome and Rin unharmed, if he returned them at all. He wouldn't leave anything like that to chance.

"Fuck!!" cried Inuyasha into the phone. It startled Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts. "Well, where the hell is he taking them?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at the computer screen that showed a red dot as the location of Rin's cell phone.

"They are in South Carolina, close to the Georgia border."

"I'm going Sesshoumaru. I don't care what you say."

"I never asked you not to go. It would be hypocritical for me to tell you not to go when I'm going myself."

"…good. At least we're on the same page."

"Yes, we are. Get into your car, and I'll tell you the address to type into the navigation system."

Inuyasha did as Sesshoumaru asked, and he could hear what sounded like his brother getting into a car, himself.

He needed to take a second and calm down, though. It would do Kagome no good if, in his rage, he got into a car accident.

Rage…the word didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling. He felt as if his internal organs would combust at any given moment. His hands were shaking and the air he was taking in felt stale; as if someone had taken most of the oxygen out of it before handing it back to him. He couldn't understand how Sesshoumaru sounded so calm, but if he didn't, Inuyasha wasn't sure he would last under the pressure. At the moment, his brother was his rock. He would never admit to it, but Sesshoumaru was holding him together.

He took a long, deep, cleansing breath.

"Alright, I'm in the car."

--

When Kagome woke up, all she could remember was going to the ladies room. Her memory was fuzzy around the edges. She tried to open her eyes, but it was still dark when she did. She had the biggest headache she had ever had in her entire life. Her temples throbbed and it kept sending blinding, white light streaking across her vision. What she really needed was a cool rag on her head, a glass of water, and Inuyasha.

Her limbs didn't seem to work that well, either. At first, it was hard for Kagome to coordinate her arm to lift to her face. Once she did, it was even harder to lift the scratchy material off her head.

'So that's why I couldn't see,' she though.

The light that poured into her eyes blinded her for a moment, and made her head hurt even worse.

Once she could safely open her squinted eyes, what she saw didn't really make much sense.

Kagome was in a bare room. The only thing in it was another person who was still asleep, and an old fashioned, pull-string light hanging from the ceiling. There were no windows, only a large, wooden door.

She was so confused. One minute, she was having dinner with Inuyasha, and the next she was waking up here. It just didn't make any sense.

While Kagome was pondering her predicament and trying the get her body functioning again, Rin was just waking up. She was having the same problems as Kagome. Her limbs seemed entirely too heavy. The last thing she remembered was walking to her car with a buggy full of food and other items.

"Uggg…" was the only thing Kagome heard and it startled her so bad, she swore that she jumped out of her skin. It only took a few seconds for her to gather her wits again, but by that time, Rin had already peeled the burlap sack from her head as Kagome had done only a few moments ago.

"Rin…" asked a shaky voice. It was strange how raw her throat felt.

"Kagome?" whispered Rin.

"It's me. Are you alright?"

Rin inspected her body for a few moments, making sure before she answered.

"Yes, I think so. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

And just like that the silence prevailed again. They sat like that, leaning against a stark, white wall, just trying to piece together what might have happened, when it occurred to Kagome that it might be a good idea to check the door. She forced her legs to lift her body, and after a minute, she was able to make her way, leaning against the wall the entire time. Of course, the door was locked.

"Do you know where we are?" asked Rin, as Kagome's body crumpled in exhaustion and slid down the door.

"I don't have a clue."

"My cell phone is gone. We've been kidnapped, haven't we?"

It was a logical question to ask, but for whatever reason, they had been avoiding it since they woke up. Kagome though that maybe, it would be a little less terrifying if they didn't say the words, but it didn't really make a difference, now that they were said.

"I think so."

"Sesshoumaru is going to be so…pissed off."

Kagome couldn't help it. She laughed. It was such an irrational response to the situation, but it helped dispel the air, somewhat. At least, she thought, there was someone with her. She wasn't alone, and that counted for something. Not that she was glad that Rin had been taken, too, it was just comforting that someone was by her side.

"I would imagine that Inuyasha is not too happy at the moment, either."

Rin laughed this time.

"Inuyasha is probably blowing a gasket and yelling at my husband."

And that made them both laugh.

"Well, what do we do now?" asked Kagome, once they had gotten themselves under control.

Rin sighed.

"I guess we wait."

And so they did.

--

Inuyasha was wondering where all the police were. He had been speeding for the better part of an hour. He was glad that the cops on this stretch of highway apparently had better things to do, but really, what if there was a drunk driver that really needed to be pulled over?

In the back of his mind, Inuyasha was desperately trying to come up with some other meaningless thing to think about. If he couldn't, then he would be forced to think about Kagome. Then he would be forced to think about where she was. Then, he would be forced to think about _him._ And that…was most certainly not a good idea. If that were to happen, he was sure that he would kill someone when he got to where he was going.

He was a peaceful man by nature. Not to say that he didn't get into a fist fight from time to time; but to actually kill someone, it wasn't even an option. But this was an entirely different situation. This was the love of his life being taken from him. This was a man who could very well be doing the most unspeakable things to the woman he loved, right this very moment.

Just as he was running out of mundane things to think about, God sent him a reprieve, and his cell phone rang.

He snatched it from the passenger seat, and pressed the button to connect the call.

"Where are you?" he blurted.

"I'm just about two hours away, maybe less. How far are you?"

"I'm a good five hours away. Although, if I do ten more over limit, I'll cut that by a fourth."

"Do not be stupid, Inuyasha. You will do her no good showing up in a body bag."

"I know that, you asshole. I'm being careful," he mumbled, feeling as if he were a child being scolded.

"I want you to change the address in your navigation system."

"Alright, what for?"

"We're going to meet someone at a hotel near the location."

"Who?"

"An inside man, or rather, woman, I should say."

"What do you mean?"

"She works for him. Well, not really. He owns her, is more the truth of it. She snuck out about an hour ago, and called me. It is to her benefit that Naraku is caught."

"Are you stupid!?" he practically screamed. "You can't trust her. She could be pulling us into a trap!"

"Calm down, imbecile. Don't you think I would have thought of that? I have had Shippo speak with her. You know he can smell a lie from a mile away. He even checked her story, about being sold to Naraku at a young age. It all checks out. Like I said, she has much to gain if we can put an end to Naraku's freedom."

Inuyasha didn't like it, not one bit. But, he had been worried about going in blind. He grit his teeth in his frustration. It was either trust his brother and possibly be able to get the girls out easily, or go it on his own, and just hope everything would be okay. Sesshoumaru had always been an excellent judge of character. He didn't hear desperation in his brother's voice anymore, either. He sounded so much more confident now.

"Okay," he sighed. "What's the address?"

--

Kagome's watch told her that it had been two hours since she had woken up. They had tried knocking the door down. They had tried screaming for help. Needless to say, nothing had worked. She and Rin had passed the time so far by getting to know each other better. Kagome figured that it was better than just sitting around doing nothing. Besides, it kept their minds off the possibility that Naraku was the one that had snatched them from their happy lives.

Once Rin had found out that Kagome was staying in the country, she had gone on for forty-five minutes about how happy she was for her and her brother-in-law. It seemed as if the unspoken rule in the tiny, white room was to pretend that they weren't in a tiny, white room. It had worked, so far. Now, she just wanted to know what was going on.

She didn't have to wait long. Her unspoken request was answered when the door suddenly opened. Kagome and Rin looked up to see a woman about their age.

She was short, a few inches shorter than Rin, with pale skin and equally pale hair. Her dark eyes seemed to bore straight into their souls.

Kagome barely suppressed a shiver when the girl spoke.

"You will put the bags back over your heads. Then, I will tie your hands. Next, I'll string you together, and lead you to the place you will wait for my master. Please do not try to run away. I do not want to hurt you." With that said, the girl pulled a gun from her side, and showed them what she meant.

Kagome and Rin shared a meaningful glance.

They had agreed, right away, that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were coming for them, and all they needed to do was to stay out of trouble. If they agreed to do whatever their capturer told them to do, then maybe, they would be unscathed by the time their men came to collect them. It would do no good for them to show up and find beaten wife and girlfriend.

They placed the sacks over their heads, as asked, and held their hands behind their backs. Another piece of rope was tied around their waists, and then they were lead out of the room.

The room had smelled of fresh paint, but the rest of the place had a damp, dusty quality to it. Kagome felt like she was breathing in mold with every inhalation. The floor felt rotted in some places, as if it were ready to give at any moment. Their footsteps echoed and she could feel a cool breeze ghosting across her skin.

"Ah, here they are," boomed a silky voice. It reverberated off the walls, giving it an eerie quality.

The bags were taken from their heads again, and Kagome got her first good look of the man who had made various cameos in her recent nightmares.

He had long, flowing black hair that was tied up in a blood red ribbon. His face was handsome, but the smirk on his lips reversed the effect. She couldn't repress the shiver that zinged down her spine when she saw the first flash of white from his teeth.

Kagome saw Rin from the corner of her vision. Much to her surprise, the tiny woman looked fierce and confident. She couldn't help but be reminded of the girl's husband in that moment. It was as if Rin was taking tricks from Sesshoumaru's playbook. It was hard not to feel better, knowing that even if they did feel frightened and small, they could look as if it didn't matter to them either way.

With that, Kagome imagined what Inuyasha would do in this moment. She drew herself up as tall as she could and squared her shoulders. If she was going down, she wouldn't go down without a fight. Inuyasha was coming, but that didn't mean she had to stand there and look like a victim.

Naraku's eyes narrowed at the new attitude coming from the women in front of him. They looked proud, too proud. It was no matter, really. A few well placed words and they would look broken again.

He slowly slunk towards them, taking his time, letting them wonder what he had in mind. He smiled a little at that thought. Oh, the things he would do to them, but not yet. It wasn't time, yet.

Kagome felt Naraku's eyes on her back as he walked around them. Her body wanted to curl in on itself to try and hide from his gaze, but she wouldn't let it. She needed to stay strong. She could hear Inuyasha's voice in her head, telling her how proud he was that she was standing straight and tall. His voice kept urging her to stay strong, and so she did.

"My, my, my…I wonder how the brothers are doing, knowing their loves are in my capable hands?" He pulled a lock of Kagome's hair through his fingers, letting it slide against his skin. "I wonder if they are even coming. They do so love their swords, don't they? Is a trade even worth it for tainted women? Oh, you're not tainted, yet, but that doesn't mean I won't tell them that you are. I wonder if they'll still want women who have been used and thrown away?"

Kagome kept her focus of Rin from the corner of her eyes. Her future sister-in-law never faltered, never waned. Kagome kept letting Inuyasha's voice roll around in her head.

_I'm coming for you. I'll be there soon. Wait for me._

She took a deep breath, and let it pass through her lips slowly.

"Was there something in particular you wanted?" she asked, proud of herself when her voice never wavered.

Naraku was in front of her in a flash, and all at once, Kagome's head snapped to the side. She didn't cry out like she wanted to, nor did she put her hand to her now bleeding lip. She just let her head roll leisurely back into the upright position. She watched as Naraku huffed and puffed in his rage.

"Kanna!" he screeched.

"Yes, Master?" replied the pale woman that had brought them in. She spoke so softly, Kagome wondered if she had imagined the woman had spoken.

"Take these two back to the room. Do not untie their arms."

"Yes, Master," she said again, just as softly, and gave a stern yank on the rope still tied to their middles.

Kagome and Rin shuffled after the pale girl, until they were back inside the little, white room. The girl left without a word, but not before turning out their only source of light, and they were back to square one.

After a what seemed like forever, the silence was broken by Rin. She had either gone crazy, or she was remembering a very good joke, because all of a sudden, she broke into a hysterical bought of giggles.

Kagome stared at her, wide eyed, and wondered if she should say something. Before she'd decided to take action, Rin composed herself enough to speak.

"Was there something in particular you wanted?" she got out, before another round of giggles tumbled from her lips. "That was priceless! You wait until I tell Inuyasha. I can hear him now!" she sputtered and hiccupped. "That's my girl," she said, trying to mimic Inuyasha.

Between the laughter in her ears, and the terrible imitation of Inuyasha, Kagome starting laughing herself.

Once both of them had finally calmed down, an air of seriousness suddenly encompassed them.

"Kagome, I thought we agreed not to get mangled," she sighed.

"I know. I couldn't help it. I was feeling a little too brave I guess."

"Just don't do it again. Inuyasha will be furious enough as it is when they get here. Promise me," she pleaded.

"Alright, I promise."

Kagome struggled with her next question, but gave up and voiced it.

"They're coming, right?" asked Kagome, in a voice that sounded hopeful and weary at the same time.

Rin got up off the floor, which was not an easy feat, as her hands were tied behind her back, and flopped down next to Kagome. Well, as near to her as she could in the pitch black of the room.

"They are coming," she said, and she sounded so completely confident, that Kagome couldn't help but believe her.

The leaned against each other, and let the silence stretch between them, once again.

--

A/N: The bit at the beginning of the chapter is a song called _Omerta_ by Lamb of God. I would tell you it's a great song by a great band, but it may be a little heavier than most of you are used to. If you have a very open mind, then please, try to check it out. They are one of my favorite bands.

As usual, the review responses can be found at malitiadixie(dot)live journal(dot)com. Just, you know, remove the space and the other stuff…

Here's the next chapter…enjoy.

Chapter 25:

Rage

Sesshoumaru was in the hotel room with Inuyasha called to let him know that he had finally arrived. Though, Sesshoumaru had to admit that he arrived a few hours before he was supposed to. He wondered for a moment how fast Inuyasha had really traveled.

Sesshoumaru opened the door to find his irate brother on the other side.

"Okay, where is this bitch. I don't wanna fuck around here all day."

"Neither do I, but we will have to wait. She was here when I arrived, but she had to leave. She was "summoned", or so she called it."

"So she left to do whatever that monstrosity of a human being needed her to do?" he asked, not bothering to mask his irritation.

"Yes, Inuyasha, she did."

"She could be telling him where we are this very second," he ground out.

"Yes, Inuyasha, she could.


	26. Chapter 25

A/N: Just a little warning. This chapter will earn the rating it has. This chapter contains some dark scenes and such, so if you don't like that kind of thing, don't read it. Also, a great big thanks to Kathy-kins, my wonderful beta. If it wasn't for her, this chapter would have been even later.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 25:

Rage

Sesshoumaru was in the hotel room with Inuyasha called to let him know that he had finally arrived. Though, Sesshoumaru had to admit that he arrived a few hours before he was supposed to. He wondered for a moment how fast Inuyasha had really traveled.

Sesshoumaru opened the door to find his irate brother on the other side.

"Okay, where is this bitch. I don't wanna fuck around here all day."

"Neither do I, but we will have to wait. She was here when I arrived, but she had to leave. She was "summoned", or so she called it."

"So she left to do whatever that monstrosity of a human being needed her to do?" he asked, not bothering to mask his irritation.

"Yes, Inuyasha, she did."

"She could be telling him where we are this very second," he ground out.

"Yes, Inuyasha, she could. However, I remember having this conversation with you earlier. Shippo did a background check and spoke with her. She is very genuine. Do you think I would let her leave if I thought otherwise? I think you are forgetting that my wife is in that creature's hands just as securely as your girlfriend is."

Inuyasha stopped pacing to face his brother. Now that he was looking, he could see the absolute rage and frustration on Sesshoumaru's face. He did forget, if only for a moment, that Rin was there, too. He sighed and sat on down at the chair in front of the desk.

"I'm sorry, but I feel like I'm loosing my mind! Why are we here, waiting on what's-her-face anyway? We have the swords. All we have to do is give them up and he'll let the girls go free. If you tell me that the sword you have in your hand is more important than your wife's life, I swear to God, Sesshoumaru, I'll slice you in so many pieces that they'll have to rely on dental records to figure out who you are."

Sesshoumaru's only response at first was a tick in his jaw and a furrowing of his brow.

"If you ever again," he started in a quiet voice, but one that held the promise of death, "insinuate that I think this sword is worth more than my wife, I'll forget you're my only living relative and kill you where you stand."

Inuyasha eyed him for a moment where he sat and gave a silent nod that he understood.

"Then why exactly are we here?"

"Only moments after that bastard called us, I received a call from the woman that we will meet shortly. Her name is Kagura. She told me that she knew what was happening. That she was the one to take Rin. She told me that even though Naraku said that he would trade, he has no intention of doing so. He plans to wait until we are unarmed and have handed over the swords before he kills us and keeps Kagome and Rin in the same manner he keeps her. He plans to make slaves of them."

"The hell he will," snarled Inuyasha.

"My thoughts exactly."

"So, what's the plan?"

"That, dear brother, is why we are waiting for her return."

"Do we have any other back up?"

Sesshoumaru let his lip turn up into a cunning smile. Inuyasha knew that smile, and anything that followed after it was not good for Naraku.

"We may have," he said enigmatically.

0o0o0o0

Kagura made it back to the building that Naraku had made his makeshift command post in record time. It would mean her life if she were caught. She would tell him she was out getting something to eat if he asked.

As she rounded the corner into the room that served as the common room, she noticed that Kanna was standing a little further away from Naraku than she normally did. That was her first clue. Her second clue, was the serpentine like smile that was on her lord and masters face.

"Y-you wanted to see me?"

He stood up from his little mound of pillows he had himself propped against. He always was one to make himself look much more important than he really was. He swaggered over to her, and as if a light switch had been flicked, his smile melted into a scowl. Before she could question what the matter was, she found herself slapped so hard across the face, she slumped to the floor and almost blacked out from the impact.

Naraku picked her up by the front of her tee shirt, and snarled in her face.

"You little bitch!" he screeched. "I know where you were earlier. I had you followed. I knew I couldn't trust you to do anything without stabbing me in the back. What did you tell the older brother! What does he know!"

Kagura tried to shield herself from the following blow, but she was so stunned from the first one, she couldn't get her hands up in time. She could have sworn she heard her jaw crack.

"Answer me!" he yelled at her.

"I…" she panted through the blood gushing from her lips. "I told them that you have no intention of giving back the two women," she finished weakly.

Naraku let go of his hold on her shirt and let her slump in the cold, hard floor. He paced across the expanse of the large room for a few minutes before he stopped and turned to look at Kanna.

"Bring me the women. Blindfold them first."

Kanna turned a walked out of the room to do as he asked, but not before throwing Kagura a glance that was full of worry. Not that her whole face held the expression. After knowing Kanna for years, Kagura knew just were to look when trying to read the girl. Kanna always kept her face schooled, but her eyes always gave everything away.

"You Kagura, are my biggest disappointment in life, but I'm going to give you a chance to make it up to me. You are going to go back to meet with the brothers, and you are going to send a little message from me."

The following laughter that bubbled up from Naraku's mouth made Kagura flinch and cringe.

0o0o0o0

An hour later found Kagura walking down the hall towards the door that the brother's were behind. She did not want to see them anymore. She did not want to give them what was in her hand. She defiantly didn't want to be there when they received their 'message'. She shuddered thinking about it.

However, she had to do as she was told. She would not let him win. She would find a way to help them if it was the last thing she did. And, it very well may be the last thing she ever did. But, if it helped them put an end to Naraku, she would do it.

Kagura stopped in front of the door and knocked lightly. A moment later found her face to face with the brother she had yet to meet.

Inuyasha scowled at her for a second before he let her inside. The brother Kagura had already met was sitting at the desk in the far corner.

"What happened to you?"

Kagura ignored to question for now. She had some things to say. She had to say them or she would end up dead before they could do anything.

She glared at the two men before pointing to her pelvis. She didn't touch the fabric of the shirt as she trailed her finger up her stomach, between her breasts and stopped just below the collar of her shirt. They looked extremely confused and she really, really hoped that they would get it as she went along.

"Naraku sends his regards, along with a message." She pulled a jewel DVD case out of her coat pocket and tossed it on the bed.

"So, he figured out that you had come to see us. Did he give you that swollen jaw and busted lip?"

Kagura only gave Inuyasha a passing glance before she walked over to the desk Sesshoumaru was sitting at. She grabbed a small notebook and a pen. She pointed once again, very sharply, at the middle of her torso and then started scribbling on the pad. Once she was finished, she handed it to Sesshoumaru.

_I have on a wire. He is listening. Do NOT watch that DVD!_

Inuyasha walked up to his brother and looked over his shoulder to read the note. Just as he finished, Sesshoumaru decided that this form of communication was going to have to do. He scribbled something on the same sheet of paper.

_What is on the recording?_

Kagura grabbed the pen back from him with, apparently, a little more attitude than he liked, and narrowed her eyes at his scowl.

_You don't want to know. That's why I said not to watch it. Trust me. I didn't even want to watch it. I can't give you much, but I'll give you want I can._

After letting Sesshoumaru read what she had written, she snatched the notepad back before he could grab it. She turned over the page to find a new sheet of paper, and then started drawing. It took a few minutes, and it wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but she supposed they would have to make due. They could either take it or leave it. After she finished, she handed it to him.

Sesshoumaru moved over to Inuyasha so he could look at the drawing, as well.

"I'm going to use your restroom before I go."

Inuyasha watched Kagura throw him a meaningful look before shutting the door to the bathroom behind herself. A few seconds later, he could hear the sink turn being turned on all the way.

Sesshoumaru looked at the drawing she had handed him, and started formulating a plan.

The drawing was of the building she had just come from. He could see that there was a front and a back door. She made a note off to the side that the back door was wielded shut. So, one point of entry, one point of exit. There was a skylight, but no way to access it unless he was Spiderman. There was one large room, where she had written the word Naraku, and four smaller room that were down a hall. One of the smaller room had the word women written inside of it. The only way to get to the room was to go through the main room. There were ten stick figures surrounding the building that he took to represent henchmen. Sesshoumaru felt a headache coming on.

Inuyasha was in no better shape. He had seen the same thing Sesshoumaru had seen. There was no way to sneak in and get the girls. They would have to confront Naraku. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Any ideas?" he asked his older brother.

"No, but maybe Shippo can think of something."

Inuyasha nodded. While Sesshoumaru was transfixed with the drawing, the DVD case that was still laying on the bed caught his eye. He wondered why Kagura didn't want them to see it. It might have something on it that could help them. Inuyasha figured it wouldn't hurt to watch it, so he opened up the case and popped the DVD into the player.

After five seconds, he wished he had listened to Kagura.

There, on the screen, was Kagome and Rin. They were bound and blindfolded, on their knees.

"Hello…" came a lazy voice from the speakers.

Sesshoumaru's head snapped to the TV and Kagura burst from the bathroom.

"No!" she shouted, but it was too late. She tried to move in front of the TV, but Inuyasha grabbed her arm and yanked her to the side.

Both of them were on their feet, fists clenched at their sides. Kagura shrank back into the farthest corner she could get to. If they looked like that now, she didn't wanted to be anywhere near them when the main show started.

On the screen, the camera had been set down and the shaky quality of the recording stopped. Naraku walked into view and smiled.

"So, you thought you were going to pull a fast one on me. You know, you shouldn't have done that. I wasn't going to do anything to them. Now, you've made me change my mind. I thought I told you the rules earlier. You broke them. Now, they will have to pay for your mistake," he hissed as he pointed to the women behind him.

Naraku made a show of opening a large pocket knife. He walked slowly to the girls kneeling in the back.

"I can see why you would keep them. They are such beautiful girls. I could have the best of both world's if I had both of them. This one," he said as he used the knife to cut the buttons off of Rin's blouse. "This one is quiet and calm. It's nice when a bitch can keep her mouth shut."

Sesshoumaru could feel his rage explode. He wanted to storm over there and strangle the man that had a knife to his wife's chest. His wife…his beautiful wife. Even now, she held her head high and didn't falter. He was proud of her for not giving in. She hadn't lost hope. She knew he would come for her.

One by one the buttons on Rin's shirt popped off. Once they were all gone, Naraku put the knife down on the table beside him. Sesshoumaru seethed as he pressed his hands to her upper chest and slid them to her shoulders. He watched with madness in his eyes as the man in the video pushed the ruined blouse from her shoulders and down her arms. He was not satisfied with just that, though, much to Sesshoumaru's disgust.

Naraku picked up the knife again, and slipped it sideways into the side of Rin's pants. Sesshoumaru watched as his wife cringed, only a little, while Naraku cut the material off her body.

God, he was going to kill him. He was going to murder someone and he could care less.

Naraku didn't stop until Rin was in nothing but her under garments.

"That's better," purred the man on the screen. "And this one, he said as he moved to Kagome. "This one is a feisty little cunt. I've already had to smack her around a little."

Inuyasha's mind swirled with violent thoughts as he watched Naraku push a finger into the bruise on Kagome's jaw. He cut a little slit into the top of her tee shirt and placed the knife down so he could rip the shirt from her body with his hands. Inuyasha clenched his teeth as he watched Kagome do the same.

"You bastard…" Inuyasha heard her say.

"You promised, Kagome," said Rin.

Naraku chuckled. He used his knife to rid Kagome of her shorts just as he had done with Rin's. Inuyasha saw Kagome shudder and swallow.

Inuyasha's hands were shaking as he tried to rein in his temper. He could feel the rage seeping into his skin. He wanted to shoot something, preferably the asshole on the screen.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," came the same disgusting voice from the speakers. "We three have some…things to do." He dragged his tongue up Kagome's neck while grabbing Rin's thigh. Both of the girls cringed. Naraku's laughter echoed off the walls as he reached for the remote beside and cut off the camera.

0o0o0o0

Sorry to leave you guys hanging. This is a short chapter, but they seemed to end themselves sometimes. Because this is a cliffhanger, there won't be a sneak peek, but I promise to get the next chapter out soon.

As always, the review responses can be found at malitiadixie(dot)livejournal(dot)com.

Please show some love on the way out in the form of a review. I don't care if all you have to say is three words long. I don't even care if it's that you hate this story and you want to gut me. I want to hear it. I love reviews and they help me become a better writer by letting me know what you guys like and don't like.

Until later…


	27. Chapter 26

_A/N: Well, here it is folks. I hope you likey and I hope you let me know if you do._

_Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada…you guys know the drill. I know own. Wait, did I just sound like the 'I haz…' cat?_

_Chapter 26:_

_In Which the Supporting Characters Come to Support_

"_What the fuck did he do?!" screamed Inuyasha. When Kagura wouldn't answer him because she was too busy cowering in the corner, he rushed her. Picking her up by the arm, he questioned her again. "What did he do?" he asked through gritted teeth._

"_N-nothing!" she replied. "He didn't get to do anything. Your wife," she said as she pointed to Sesshoumaru, who was barely holding himself together. "Your wife bit him when he tried to kiss her. Then, while he was yelling at her, your girlfriend," she pointed her finger at Inuyasha, "managed to pick up the knife and cut her ropes. It took three men to pull her off of him, and two more to get your wife under control."_

_Inuyasha took a shuddering breath and sank to his knees. He couldn't do this anymore. The first thing he was going to do when he got Kagome back was lock her in his house and never let her out of his sight._

_Sesshoumaru couldn't figure out if he should be proud of his Rin or angry with her. 'Proud…let's just settle on proud,' he thought, trying to spare himself an early grave due to heart failure._

"_What happened after that?" asked Sesshoumaru after he found his collected center._

"_He slapped them a few times and locked them back into the room. They're fine, though. Just a busted lip and maybe a few bruises." Kagura voice shook a little. She was sure they were going to kill her for her part in all this. She was just that moment realizing that they had their emotions back under control._

"_You can go now if you would like. Or, I can call someone to protect you and you can go with them. It's your choice."_

_Kagura was confused. Was he really saying that he would protect her?_

"_I don't understand," she said quietly._

"_You did us a very big favor, and I will not repay that by handing you back to that vile man. So, as I said, I can make a call. Until this whole thing is under control and then you can decide what you would like to do next."_

"_Next?" she questioned. Would it really be that easy? Kagura hadn't thought that far ahead. If Naraku was to be taken down, what was she going to do with the rest of her life? "I don't really know what to do," she mumbled to the floor._

"_Jeez, he really messed you up, didn't he?" the younger brother asked._

_Kagura decided that she would figure that out when the time came. At the moment, she only really needed one thing._

"_I'll go with someone, if it's not too much trouble. And I wondered if I could ask a small favor."_

_Sesshoumaru nodded for her to continue._

"_Naraku has another woman held as a slave like me. She and I have been together for a long time. I just wanted to ask that you please not hurt her. If she does anything to you, or if she has done something to Kagome and Rin, it's only because if she doesn't do as Naraku says, he'll kill her. Please, she's just like me…"_

_Inuyasha watched as Kagura's head bowed and she fisted the fabric of her shirt tightly in her hand. He sent a glance to his half-brother and they shared a nod._

"_We'll do what we can for her. Maybe there's something we can say to her so she'll know that you're with us and that you're safe…?"_

_Kagura looked to Inuyasha with a wary glance._

"_You…you can tell her that her sister is safe."_

_Inuyasha nodded._

"_Don't worry. If we can, we'll help her, too."_

_Kagura smiled a tight smile and listened as Sesshoumaru made a call. She reached under her shirt, pulled the wire from her stomach, and handed it to Inuyasha. He put in on the ground and smashed it with his shoe._

"_Thank you," she said, and Inuyasha smiled._

"_We should thank you."_

_~{0o0o0o0}~_

"_Shit!" he exclaimed as he listened to someone destroy the mic he had taped to Kagura. He knew she would help them. Naraku was surprised that she had left it on her person that long. At least he knew what to expect now. After everything was done and over with, he would get Kagura back. She would be punished for her misdeeds, ten fold._

_Now was not the time to dwell on such things, however. At the moment, he needed a plan. They were sure to still be angry, even with Kagura smoothing out the unanswered questions. Anger would make them emotional and reckless. He could use that to his advantage._

_~{0o0o0o0}~_

_Kagome was sure that dawn was approaching. There was no way of really knowing, but her internal clock was telling her it was about that time. Rin's head was still lying in her lap. She had only been able to sleep a few hours before waking up. Not being able to let herself doze again, she had offered Rin the only thing she had at the moment, a comfortable place to put her head._

_She remembered the conversation that had taken place the night before, right after the pale woman had thrown her and Rin back into their makeshift cell._

_Rin had been laughing so hard after the woman had shut the door, that she could barely get a sentence out._

"_I…r-really hope…for his sa-ke that he d-doesn't…show that to…my husb-band!" Rin finally got out before she was taken by hysterics again._

_Kagome couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her. She had found rather quickly that Rin had an infectious laugh._

"_Yeah," she replied. "He and Inuyasha both are libel to blow a gasket."_

_That brought an even bigger laugh from the small woman._

"_Oh God!" she gasped. "I wasn't even thinking about Inuyasha. He has an even quicker temper than Sesshoumaru. The police will be lucky to find an intact piece of him anywhere if Inuyasha gets a hold of him!"_

The laughter continued until Rin had yawned so big that her jaw popped. Kagome had suggested that they get some sleep. They had no idea when the guys were going to show up. It was better that they were as well rested as possible.

A few minutes later, Rin shifted in her sleep and opened her eyes.

"Oh, man!" she moaned. "It wasn't a dream!"

Kagome let a little chuckle escape from her lips as Rin pouted and sat up against the wall.

"No. I was hoping that myself, when I woke up."

Rin sighed and then leaned her head against Kagome's shoulder.

"Kagome?"

"Hmm?"

"What…" she cleared her throat and tried to start again. "What are you going to do when all this is over."

Kagome smiled, but Rin couldn't see that. Hadn't Inuyasha said that Rin would be happy when she found out that Kagome was staying? At least there was one happy thing to talk about.

"Well, I'll go back to practicing law, or course."

"Oh." said Rin. Kagome could hear the pout in the other woman's voice if she listened hard enough.

"Yeah, but I won't be able to do that for a little while."

"Why not?"

"I've got to study for a little while if I'm going to pass the North Carolina bar exam."

Kagome listened to the silence that her statement caused. It took her a few seconds, but Rin finally got there.

"Oh, my God! You're staying here!?"

Kagome smiled and answered. "Yes, I am!"

Rin grabbed Kagome by the shoulders and hugged her. Kagome hugged back and she wondered what Rin would do when she told her the best news.

"And, I'll be seeing you all the time. You'll have to come visit me and Inuyasha every weekend."

The squeal that came from Rin's mouth nearly deafened Kagome. Rin threw her arms around her and hugged her so tightly that she felt as if she would never be able to breathe again.

"Rin," she gasped. "Too tight!"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for you both. You two are so great together! I can hardly wait for the wedding!"

"Whoa! Slow down. We haven't know each other that long. We want to take it easy for a while."

"Okay, okay. I can wait. You will let me help you plan it when the time comes, right?"

"Of course! I'll need my maid of honor to help me with everything."

Kagome laughed at Rin as another unearthly squeal escaped her.

~{0o0o0o0}~

After sending off Kagura with one of his men, Sesshoumaru ushered Inuyasha to the desk were he was still pouring over the rough drawing of the building she had given them.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Well," Inuyasha began. "He knows we're coming, but he doesn't know when. We could use that to our advantage. I know you have a few cards up your sleeve, so it would be nice if you would let me in on them."

Sesshoumaru never got to tell him, because a knock at the door interrupted him.

"You expecting someone?" the younger brother asked.

"I may be," Sesshoumaru answered with a mocking smirk and a well placed eyebrow raise.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stomped over to the door. He looked out the peek hole and his eyes widened.

"What the fuck are you guys doing here?" he asked as he flung the door wide open.

Sango pushed past him, followed by Miroku. She made sure to slap Inuyasha in the chest as she went past.

"Hi, Inuyasha. It's nice to see you, too," she bit as she laid her bag down on the only bed in the room.

Inuyasha shook his head, trying to figure out what was going on. When he looked up again, Miroku was frowning at him, and he was awfully close.

"Alright, go ahead and say what you need to say, but know this. I swear to God, if you think that you can keep me from her, you're dead wrong. I'll get her back, and then you can step back and let your cousin be happy."

"Oh, don't worry. I know she'll be alright. I also know that you've most likely beaten yourself up about this little situation far more than I can. But, I will give you one thing."

Inuyasha was about to come back with some sarcastic reply along the lines of, "Oh yeah, and what's that?" But before he could, a well place right hook jerked his head sideways.

He grimaced and shook his head to clear the buzzing noise that was becoming deafening. He moved his jaw around and spat the blood that had filled his mouth when he bit his tongue on the floor.

Inuyasha wanted to start swinging. He wanted to yell at him and curse him and ask Miroku if he thought he could protect Kagome better. Instead, he decided he really did deserve the punch. He had let Naraku get his hands on Kagome. It was all his fault that she was in his custody. He would get her back. Then, he and Miroku would go for round two. He could wait.

"Again," he said, still spitting blood on the carpet, "what the fuck are you two doing here?"

"I called them. They were actually in New Orleans looking for you and Kagome."

"What in the hell were you doing there?" he asked.

Sango sighed and sat on the bed.

"We were going to meet up with you and Kagome, but I lost my cell phone and I couldn't remember your number."

Miroku started snickering in his hand and Inuyasha raised a questioning brow. Sango growled and slung a pillow at his head, which hit her target perfectly, but failed to shut him up.

"I'm assuming you're laughing about the lost cell phone."

"Why, yes. Yes, I am."

"And why would that be? Something tells me it's more complicated than it sounds." Inuyasha regretted asking the question moments later, because Miroku's smirk grew to a full fledged grin, and Sango blushed to the roots of her hair.

"There may, or may not have been some pictures on her phone that she didn't want anyone to see," explained Miroku.

Inuyasha got the idea fairly quickly, which he made known by narrowing his eyes, but something was still missing.

"And how do you know about the pictures?"

Miroku could barely contain himself. He was grinning like the cat that got the canary. The silly smirk wouldn't leave his face.

"Oh, that's easy. I know about the pictures, because I took them!" he proclaimed proudly. Sango accented his declaration with a groan and buried her face in her hands.

Inuyasha stifled a sigh and just settled for closing his eyes and shaking his head. What did he do to deserve having to be stuck with such idiots?

"How are Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dee supposed to help us?" he asked of Sesshoumaru.

The elder of the brother stood and made sure to pick up the drawing he had been looking at for the last half hour. He went to one of the walls and secured the picture to it with a thumb tack so that everyone could see the piece of paper.

"Alright, here's the plan."

~{0o0o0o0}~

A/N: Sorry I left you guys on a cliffy and then took forever to get this out. I'd like to say thanks to those who nomed and seconded my stories for IYFG awards, even if they were disqualified. Well, my one-shot was, but I suspect this one will be as well. It has been twice already.

Speaking of one-shot, I have a new one that I am very proud of. Since my smut was getting some nice reviews, I decided to try my hand at something with a little less plot and more citrus. "Passenger" can be found at mm .org. I really like it and I hope you will all go read it.

As always, I'll post the reader reviews on live journal, although, they won't be up until sometime tomorrow. What? I'm tired! :whines: Now, on with the sneak peek…remember, it has not been beta-ed yet.

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Chapter 27:

Mission Possible and Games That Go Wrong

"Where the hell are those two?!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. She whipped around to stare at Kagome, who wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. Rin dropped her arms and let out the whining noise again as she plopped down in a heap on the floor.

"They'll come, Rin. We need to stay positive."

"I know, I know, but when? We're in this God-forsaken place, locked in a room with no windows, no water, and no air conditioning. It's like the seventh circle of hell!"


	28. Chapter 27

A/N: Here's the next long awaited chapter. Thank you to Kathy-kins (wbaker5286) for being my wonderful beta and e-mommy. She's the greatest and without her, this would be a much less enjoyable story.

Also, this story was nominated for 'Best Romance: Other' at the IYFG awards. Thank you to those you nominated, seconded, and voted for my little ol' fic.

Disclaimer: After all this time, do I really need to say that I don't own Inuyasha? Well…I guess I do.

Chapter 27:

Mission Possible and Games That Go Wrong

It was well into the middle of the afternoon, and Kagome knew this because the heat had risen to the point that she and Rin were very much covered in sweat. She really hoped that when Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru did get around to rescuing them, that they brought lots of ice water.

Naraku had been holding them for nearly forty-eight hours now. In that forty-eight hours, he had beaten them, taunted them, and groped them. All of that, and not even a drink of water. Well, they could get water out of the toilet in the corner of the room if they were that desperate. Kagome shuddered at the thought. The situation hadn't gotten to that point…yet.

Just as Kagome was wondering when she would run out of things to think about to block out the horrible circumstances, Rin let out a terrible, low, whining noise, hopped to her feet, and began pacing.

"Where the hell are those two?!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. She whipped around to stare at Kagome, who wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. Rin dropped her arms and let out the whining noise again as she plopped down in a heap on the floor.

"They'll come, Rin. We need to stay positive."

"I know, I know, but when? We're in this God-forsaken place, locked in a room with no windows, no water, and no air conditioning. It's like the seventh circle of hell!"

Kagome could feel the frustration rolling off Rin in waves. She had tried so hard not to think about all the things Rin had just unthinkingly ticked off. Now, as if a dam had broken, all the thoughts that she had pushed to the back of her mind rushed to the forefront. Her heart rate quickened and she felt hotter than ever, as if her skin was on fire. Only a half a minute later, her breathing became labored and she could see the blackness start to ooze its way into the corners of her vision.

She needed to be out of this room. She needed air. She needed Inuyasha.

Kagome leapt to her feet and marched to the door. In a fuzzy sort of way, she realized that Rin had sat up quickly and was watching her with a bewildered expression. She didn't care, though. She grabbed the knob and pulled with all her might. After a few seconds, when her vision had almost completely gone and she realized that the knob wasn't working, she started banging with her fists and kicking with what little bit of strength she had. She was so desperate, she didn't notice that her hands were starting to bleed, or that she was sobbing so loudly that she could have woken the dead. She needed to get out, and she needed Inuyasha to take her away from this place.

All of a sudden, two hands clamped onto her shoulders and forced her backwards from the door. She didn't put up much of a fight, as she was seconds away from either passing out or being sick. She was forced to back into a wall and as soon as she was pressed against it, the last bit of her strength gave way, and she slid down to the floor.

She could hear someone calling her name, but she couldn't manage to calm her breathing enough to hear whoever it was. Kagome couldn't make her tired eyes open. It wasn't until she felt someone's body press against hers that she could hear properly.

"Kagome! You have to calm down! Listen to me and copy my breathing."

Kagome tried but couldn't seem to mimic who she now knew was Rin. It just seemed to get worse as she remember that Inuyasha had asked her to do the same thing. She wanted him there with her. He was the only one who had ever been able to help her when she was like this. The though made her gasps harsher with newly sprung tears.

"Kagome…please!" begged Rin. "I don't know what to do! Tell me what to do!"

Kagome didn't know what to tell her. All she managed to get out was, "Inuyasha." Even then, she wasn't sure if Rin had been able to understand her through the labored gasps and the blubbery crying.

However, Rin had heard and understood Kagome. The only problem was, what in the world did it mean? Doing the only thing she could think of, she grabbed Kagome by the tops of her arms and gave her a little shake.

"Close your eyes!" she shouted at her.

Kagome barely heard the command. She had thought her eyes were closed. In a rare moment of clarity, she regained enough control to at least obey Rin's request.

"Kagome, pretend that you're at my house. Pretend that you're in that big bed of Inuyasha's that I know you love."

Kagome felt Rin lay her on her side. She tried desperately to picture that image. She would have really loved it if that was, if fact, where she was at the moment. After trying for a few seconds, it started to become clear in her mind.

"Now picture Inuyasha there beside you. Picture what he would say to you."

And, easier than she thought it would be, she did just that. In her little dream world, Inuyasha was there, lying beside her, stroking her cheek.

She could hear him asking her to calm down. She could feel his warmth beside her. She could feel the ghost of his breath skimming across her skin. He was there. They were together.

After Kagome's breathing became normal again, she passed out, dead to the world. Rin, after making sure Kagome was not going to relapse, had a good cry of her own, and then tried to come up with a plan.

---------------------------------

The sun had finally set, and Inuyasha couldn't think of anything more beautiful than that. The reason being, he could finally stop sitting around and go find his angel.

They had decided that the cover of night was their best bet. Of course, Naraku wasn't stupid, and he would probably expect them, but he didn't know exactly when, so that was in their favor. Also, he had no idea that Sango and Miroku were with Inuyasha and his brother. That was a big plus for their team.

Hidden by the moonless sky and the thick shrubs that surrounded the abandoned warehouse, Inuyasha could barely make out the guards that were on all sides of the building. He was pretty sure that there were at least ten in total. It would be tricky, but they could do it. They would have to be quick and stealthy.

Normally, it would be next to impossible. However, they had Sango, and she had a big, wonderful bag of tricks. Given all the toys she carried with her, it would be exponentially easier for them than it would be for someone else.

As per the request from Naraku, he and his brother had brought the swords along with them. They didn't plan on giving them up, as they were sure they wouldn't get the girls back either way. However, it didn't mean they wouldn't come in handy if this little plan failed and they had no other choice. He caught a glimpse of the hilt of Sesshoumaru's sword. It was strapped to his back. Inuyasha's was still in the box in which Jacqueline had given it to him. He had it tucked into the duffle bag that was slung across his chest, and he tightened the strap as tight as it would go.

Sango made her way over to him from her own hiding spot in the bushes. She handed him an earpiece, and he placed it in his right ear.

"Check," whispered Sango, and he gave her a nod to indicate that he could hear her loud and clear.

"There are twelve of them," came Miroku's voice only moments later. "Three on each side of the building. If we take each side by itself, it should work. As long as we don't make much noise, the others won't know what's going on until it's too late."

"What about cameras?" inquired Sesshoumaru.

"I took care of those," replied Sango. "They are now on a twenty minute loop. As long as he doesn't call one of them and their radios to come inside, he won't be able to tell the difference."

"Miroku, we'll follow your lead."

"Okay, let's get this show on the road," Miroku said before slinking into the open.

---------------------------------------

"I figured they would have shown their idiotic faces by now," came a sinister draw. "I wonder if they have forgotten about you."

Rin sneered as she watched Naraku's gaze travel the length of her body. "Hardly," she replied in a tone that almost sounded like a clone of Sesshoumaru.

Kagome kept her head down and prayed that he would keep his attention on Rin, the stronger of the two at the moment, and not say or do anything to her. She wasn't sure if she would crack again. She had felt awful about it after she had woken up. Rin had assured her that she didn't mind, and that it could happen to anyone, but that wasn't what it felt like.

"You're a little quiet." His voice made her cringe. She ignored him and hoped against all hope that he would just let it slide. However, her wish wasn't in the cards.

"Aww…have you given up? It really is a pity. Did he make you think he loved you and now has left you in my capable hands?"

Kagome clenched her hands into her shirt and bit her lip, trying not to rise to the provocation.

"If love is what you want, I can help you with that," Naraku purred as he gently pushed her hair over her shoulder. Kagome shuddered with disgust.

"Don't touch me," Kagome mumbled as she leaned away from him.

He never even acknowledged that she had spoken. He only leaned closer and let his hand trail down her arm and leg only to stop on her knee. He gently squeezed and she cringed, closing her eyes as tight as they would go, pretending she was somewhere else all together.

"I said don't touch me," she growled, and then sent him her best death glare.

He smirked. "There it is. There's that fire that I am so enthralled with. I knew you hadn't lost it. I haven't broken you, yet. That will come much later. I'm not finished playing with you, after all," he said as he licked his lips and stared at a few key areas of her body. Kagome felt bile rise to the top of her throat.

He walked away from her to pick up a pocket watch that was on one of the very rickety looking tables in the room.

"Hmmm…They really are planning on leaving you here, I think. As much as I like those swords, I'm beginning to think that your little boys like them more."

Just as Rin was about to retort, there was a static sound from the walkie-talkie on which the pocket watch rested. Naraku looked at it for a moment, expecting someone to hit the button again, but no one ever did. He shrugged and sauntered back to the two women who were bound hands and feet on the ground.

"How about we play a little game while we wait, hmmm? I'll say something I know about you, and you tell me if I have it correct. Who's first?"

Rin rolled her eyes and scoffed and Kagome continued to keep her head down.

"Alright, I'll choose…you," he exclaimed as he pointed at Rin. "You'll be first." Rin continued to stare at him as if to say 'You are the dirt beneath my shoes,' but Naraku never paid her narrowed eyes any consideration.

He walked around for a bit, stroking his chin with his long, bony fingers. Just as Rin thought he might have forgotten about his little "game", his eyes closed, and the corners of his lips turned up a fraction.

"You think you might be carrying that pretty boy's child," he said softly and then cackled as Rin faulted for a moment before going back to her narrow-eyed mask.

"I know I'm right. Why don't you just give me the satisfaction of telling me it's true. The whole time you've been here, your hands have been drifting to your stomach. But then, you move them away when you notice what you're doing, as if you're scolding yourself for hoping."

As he spoke, he could see Rin's jaw clench and unclench, trying to keep herself in check, obviously failing. His grin grew wider and wider with each word he spoke. He could also see that Kagome's expression had gone from unfeeling to very horrified under her hair that was shading most of her face.

He got bored with the silence and the fact that he knew she wouldn't answer. Finally he waved his hand and resumed his pacing.

"I guess I don't need a verbal answer. I have obviously hit a nerve," he said with barely restrained glee. "Now, for you," he stated as he rounded on Kagome.

"I know many things about you. I know that your parents and younger brother died when you were very young. I know that you and your grandfather are estranged, for whatever reason. I know that one of Kagura's men was once an admirer of yours."

He barked in laughter at his strange joke.

"But those are all things that you can find from a bit of research," he said as he sauntered towards her. "I can guess something else about you though, and I bet that I am very right."

Kagome looked through her thick hair at her kidnapper. He smiled an evil, toothy smile when he saw the vulnerable look on her face.

"You slept with that cocky menace, Inuyasha," he told her with a devilish stage whisper.

Kagome sucked in a breath and clawed at her legs.

"I knew it," he howled, barely containing his laughter. "I knew you let him put his dirty hands on you. Every time I say his name you blush. When my man touched you before, you were scared shitless. Now, when I touch you, you act as if I'm touching something that doesn't belong to me. I would even go so far as to say that he was your first!"

Kagome fisted her jeans tighter in her hands and tried not to whimper. How did he know these things? Was he that observant?

"Ha! I'm right!" he shouted. "Did he whisper sweet nothings in your ear until you were putty in his hands. Did he buy you nice things and tell you that you were beautiful." He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "And you fell for it too; hook, line, and sinker. You are beautiful, but that's not what he was thinking," he said quietly as he slunk around her like a wolf playing with his prey. "He was thinking'…damn, I'd like to get a piece of that pussy'."

Naraku laughed and watched her squirm on the floor at his feet.

"You really did think he loved you, didn't you?" he asked with malice in his voice. "He never loved you. He just wanted to get into your panties. And it worked, too."

"SHUT UP!!!" Kagome screamed at him, tears brimming over her lashes. "Just shut up! You think you can do anything you want, don't you? You think you can say and do whatever, and that you'll always get away with it. You are the most cocky, arrogant son-of-a-bitch I have ever met. What the hell is with you and those sword, anyway?" she went on, feeling a little of her bravery come back. "I have never seen anyone so obsessed with something so stupid. What is it, you slimy worm? Are you trying to compensate for something?" she sneered.

Naraku clenched his teeth and walked toward her with purpose. Kagome barely had time to try and bring her hands up before he had backhanded her so hard she saw stars.

"You stupid bitch," he growled. "What the hell do you know? Those swords are worth a fortune and I will have them. If I have to kill every last one of you, they will be mine!"

Kagome could barely hear Rin yelling and cursing him from her position. He was hovering over her so closely that she could fell his breath on her cheek. She squeaked when he grabbed a handful of hair and yanked her head back.

"How about I just kill you," he ground out. "I bet your little lover boy wouldn't even care. He'll cast you aside once this is all over anyway. He cares about that sword much more than he cares about you!"

"That shows how extremely stupid you are, you fucking bastard."

Naraku let his fingers slip from her hair and turned to face his newest arrivals, wondering why he chose such poorly skilled people as guards.

----------------------------------------------

A/N: I've been MIA for a few months and I'm really sorry about that. We are starting to wrap it up, though. There will be one more chapter and an epilogue and it will be done. The next two will come out much faster than this one. I'm going on vacation until the 28th. As soon as I get back, I'm going to post the last chapter and start working on the epilogue. I hope you can forgive me for taking so long to post.

I tried to manually respond to reviews the last go around. It worked well until I got one that wasn't a member of the site. If you would like a response from me, I'll be glad to do it, even if you are not signed in. Just make sure that when you respond, you give me your e-mail address. And make sure that you use (dot) instead of . Otherwise, it won't show up, even in an e-mail review. Here's an example of what it should look like using my own e-mail.

kojika ymail (dot) com

Okay, now that that is out of the way, here's the sneak peek:

Chapter 28:

The Rescue Party Arrives

"That shows how extremely stupid you are, you fucking bastard."

Kagome's neck snapped up so quickly, she would marvel later that it didn't break. However, she wasn't thinking about any of that now. All she could think about was the fact that he had come for her. This would be over with soon. She had no doubt that they would walk away from this unscathed. It never even occurred to her that he might fail.

This was Inuyasha. He would win.

Rin's head spun in much the same way as Kagome's had. She let out a sigh of relieve when she spotted her husband, standing so casually beside his brother. They locked eyes and she watched him look her form up and down, trying to access any damage to her person, she assumed. He must have been at least mildly satisfied with what he found, because instead of finding anger in his beautiful, golden eyes, she found relief. She was sure her gaze mirrored the same sort of emotion.


	29. Chapter 28

A/N: I've been trying to get this up for weeks and I think I finally figured it out. If anything looks funny, just e-mail me or leave me a review.

Thanks to my beta Kathy-kins. She continues to amaze me with her awesomeness.

Chapter 28:

The Rescue Party Arrives

"That shows how extremely stupid you are, you fucking bastard."

Kagome's neck snapped up so quickly, she would marvel later that it didn't break. However, she wasn't thinking about any of that now. All she could think about was the fact that he had come for her. This would be over with soon. She had no doubt that they would walk away from this unscathed. It had never even occurred to her that he might fail.

This was Inuyasha. He would win.

Rin's head spun in much the same way as Kagome's had. She let out a sigh of relief when she spotted her husband, standing so casually beside his brother. They locked eyes and she watched him look her form up and down, trying to assess any damage to her person, she assumed. He must have been at least mildly satisfied with what he found, because instead of finding anger in his beautiful, golden eyes, she found relief. She was sure her gaze mirrored the same sort of emotion.

Naraku's head turned much slower, and he twisted his body after that to cover what was behind his back, setting on a low table.

"Well, it is high time you gentlemen joined in on the fun," he said with a sneer of amusement. "I was starting to get rather bored."

"Oh, don't worry. You won't be bored for much longer," replied Inuyasha, cracking the knuckles of his right hand.

"And what have you done with my guards?" Naraku asked, not really caring either way.

"I wouldn't concern yourself about your henchmen. They have been dispatched, and are waiting with some friends of ours," explained the elder brother, his eyes narrowed.

"Friends?" he questioned.

"I believe I said not to concern yourself," came the haughty reply.

Naraku's brow furrowed deeply and he waited. He didn't have to do so long, as Inuyasha was always the impatient one, and started to walk forward.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that Inuyasha. Did you not notice the lovely belts your ladies are wearing?"

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru glanced at Rin and Kagome again, this time concentrating on their waists. There were belts hanging loosely around their midsections. They consisted of black straps with small, greenish blocks attached to them.

"That, gentlemen, is enough C-4 to insure that you never see either of them ever again," he chuckled and retrieved the detonation device that had been behind his back. He placed it in his right hand and squeezed the trigger. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha sucked in a large breath and knew they were already too late to save Rin and Kagome from the explosion. But, after a few seconds of nothing happening, their gazes returned to Naraku and waited for him to speak.

He chuckled and watched as they grew even angrier. "Of course I wouldn't kill them, yet. They are my biggest bargaining chips in this little game. This," he said as he motioned to the device in his hand, "is a dead man's switch. It activates if my hand comes off the trigger. So, if you tried to just shoot me and be done with it, your lovely ladies would go with me. Even if you only knock me unconscious, I will let go of the trigger, and the effect will be the same."

The quiet that had settled over the room was broken only by Inuyasha's harsh breathing. Sesshoumaru knew it was only a matter of time before his hot-headed brother did something foolish, so he decided he needed to speak up before it became too late.

"What is it that you would have us do," he questioned.

Naraku smiled as he realized he was going to get his way.

"You will unarm yourselves and kick your guns over. The swords you will lay on the floor and slide across. If you have done as I say, the ladies and I will leave, and you don't follow. I may return them later," he finished and made sure they knew his meaning by a well placed sneer.

"The hell yo-," Inuyasha started to say, but Sesshoumaru held up a hand to stop him. Inuyasha made a growling noise low in his throat to convey his anger at the interruption, but made no further comments.

"No," Sesshoumaru declined with an air of authority. "You give us the Rin and Kagome and we will not follow."

Naraku barked with laughter. Inuyasha had had just about enough by then, but the narrowing of his brother's eyes stopped him. He knew his brother a little too well. Sesshoumaru wasn't going to let the man go with his wife, not if he could do anything about it. Inuyasha wasn't near as resourceful as Sesshoumaru, he knew his own shortcomings. He also wasn't nearly as evil as his brother when things didn't go his way. At that moment, he really didn't want to be Naraku.

"You do realize your situation, do you not? I have the upper hand. I could walk out of this building right now, let go of the trigger, and you wouldn't have the means to get those belts off before I do so. If you do not do as I say," the vile man said with malice, " I will do that very thing, and then come back to find the swords on your dead bodies. They are old swords, but they were made extremely well. Not to mention well protected. I know the Tetsusaiga was with that witch Jacqueline and, if I know her, she's taken out some 'insurance' on the sword you carry, Inuyasha."

Naraku smirked as Inuyasha seethed and Sesshoumaru fixed him with a death glare that would make a lesser man piss his pants. However, he had no need to fear. The ball was in his court, and they would do whatever he asked of them.

After a few seconds of rage and inner debate, the brothers shared a glance and then began liberating the swords from their persons. They placed them on the floor and gently kicked them over.

Naraku's grin widened as he carefully picked the swords up while keeping a sharp eye on the two enraged men.

Still keeping his eyes firmly planted on Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, he called for Kagome and Rin to stand up. They did so without argument, mostly because their other halves were giving them reassuring nods. Naraku wasted no time in shoving the swords down the backs of the girls pants; Tenseiga to Rin, and Tetsusaiga to Kagome. Kagome also felt him shove something else in the waistband of her pants. It was cold and hard, but her frazzled mind couldn't connect the dots.

Naraku's smirk grew as he wrapped his arms around the girl's shoulders.

"Well, I would say 'It's been fun', but I'm not sure that you two would agree with the sentiment," he tormented as he walked backwards, making Rin and Kagome stay in step with him.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru could only watch helplessly as the girls threw the two men pleading expressions. Inuyasha clenched his fists so tightly that he was sure his fingernails would draw blood.

"Easy, little brother," murmured Sesshoumaru. "Wait for it."

Just as Inuyasha was about to let his temper get the better of him, he saw a shadow move in one of the corner. _Finally_ he thought, trying not to let out a sigh of relief lest he give their backup away.

After a moment he could make out the blue of the shirt that Miroku had been wearing earlier and thanked every deity he could ever remember. He watched as calmly as he could as Kagome's cousin slunk through the shadows, meeting Naraku in the middle of the room. Inuyasha breath came out with a very noticeable _whoosh _when Miroku finally made his move.

Naraku had thought he was home free, when suddenly, someone with a fierce grip wrapped their fingers around his hand and the dead man's trigger at the same time. They both grunted as he tried to instinctively pull his hand free, but the other man was not at all considering letting go.

Naraku let go of Kagome and Rin so he could fight with the dark haired man that he knew to be Kagome's cousin, Miroku.

As they were fighting back and forth, Kagome could swear that everything had sped up and slowed down at the same time. It was a very strange feeling, seeing everything in so much detail, but helpless to do anything except watch. She could see Inuyasha making his way over to her, but before he could progress more than a few steps, she heard Naraku bark out the name of the very pale woman that had been her and Rin's jailer.

She saw the woman named Kanna dart out from somewhere behind a pillar and stand between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru and herself and Rin. Kagome wondered for a second what Naraku had been thinking. Surely that small woman-child had no chance against the white haired brothers. But she was corrected only seconds later when the woman gave what could only be described as a war cry as she dived after Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.

Kagome had never seen anyone move so fast. The two men blocked most of the kicks and punches but they couldn't gain enough ground to get around her. She had no doubt that the brothers had had some kind of hand to hand training, but the woman fighting them was clearly better than they were.

She could hear them speaking to the ghostly woman, too. They were yelling words like 'sister' and 'safe', but Kagome had no idea what they were talking about.

Inuyasha could safely say that he had never been more wrong when it came to sizing someone up before in his life. The woman had looked like a mild wind could knock her on her ass. That was until she threw her first punch. Then she was like some crazy ghost warrior. Never letting either him or Sesshoumaru get very far before she pushed them back from Miroku or the girls.

He barely heard Naraku speak her name before she was assaulting them. He was sure his brother was holding back a little, as he was. She was still a lady, after all. Even if she was a freak show of strength and skill.

They tried using the advice Kagura had given them between each lungful of much needed air.

"Your sister is safe. She wanted us to tell you that."

Inuyasha saw her pause for only a moment before she started back, this time with a little less bite.

Now he could leave his guard down long enough to see that Sango had made it to the girls and had started to remove the explosives before he had to block another kick.

Kagome felt someone grab her arm from behind and she flailed not knowing who it was. Sango hissed at her to be quiet.

"Sorry, Sango. You scared me," she said in a whisper with a smile on her face.

As Sango was busy taking the C4 from her waist, fiddling with wires and things that Kagome had no clue about. She glanced back and forth between her cousin and the brothers.

It seemed as if Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were starting to make a little headway with Kanna. She had a questioning look on her face and had slowed down the speed of her attack a little.

Just as Sango slipped the belt from Kagome and started on Rin, there was a sudden absence of movement and sound from Miroku and Naraku.

Kagome looked up in horror. Naraku and produced a revolver from somewhere and had it held against Miroku's temple. She had fully expected her cousin to take his hand from Naraku, but instead, Miroku held tight to the trigger with a fierce scowl on his face.

Kagome wanted to scream at him, demand he let go, but she couldn't make her mouth move or her vocal cords work. As she watched, she tried to think of what she could do to help.

And then it hit her like a ton a bricks. She remembered the cold, metal object that Naraku had shoved in her waistband. She reached for it now, finally figuring out what it was.

The handgun was different from the one Inuyasha had let her use. It was larger, and black where the other was a polished chrome. But, it seemed the same. She pulled the top back slowly and with a little effort. It was loaded.

Kagome took a deep breath and aimed.

Then, time seemed to go even slower.

In the split second before she fired, she could see out of the corner of her vision that Kanna had finally come to accept whatever it was that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were trying to tell her Now, they were running quickly toward her cousin and Naraku.

But, she knew they wouldn't get there in time. She could see Naraku's hand tense.

Kagome pulled the trigger before he could.

Inuyasha ran faster when her heard the loud pop of the handgun, but he became confused as he saw Naraku let go of the revolver he was holding and clutch his shoulder.

At the same time, Sango had finally gotten the bomb off Rin and she had come barreling towards his brother. Sesshoumaru scooped her from her feet and gripped her to his chest.

Inuyasha decided to forget Miroku for the moment. He looked as if he had control of the situation now that he had the trigger safely away from the madman and Sango helping him with Naraku, who looked as if he would pass out from the pain at any second.

Inuyasha's eyes darted to the left to look for Kagome and then everything clicked into place.

There she was, sitting on her rear with her feet in front of her. She had a glazed over look about her and she was still fiercely gripping the firearm and aiming it at Naraku.

Inuyasha ran to her and slowly placed his hand on the top of the pistol. He pointed it away from everyone and started trying to pry it from Kagome's fingers.

Kagome had practiced shooting before with Inuyasha. Despite being afraid the whole time that she was going to somehow blow both of them up, Inuyasha had assured her that she had done a very good job.

This was completely different.

She had shot another person. She had watched as the projectile ripped into his shoulder and the force knocked him sideways. Kagome sat stunned as she saw the bullet pierce flesh over and over in her mind.

But then she heard his voice. Kagome felt his fingers brush the skin of her hands. She let him take the pistol from her tight grip.

She looked up into those golden eyes and finally felt herself relax. Then the tears of relief came. She closed her eyes, and she felt Inuyasha gather her close. Kagome breathed him in, that scent that could only be his.

Inuyasha leaned back from the embrace and gently wiped the salty tracks from her face. He felt Kagome's hands twine behind his neck and tug him forward.

He kissed her hard, willing her to understand how he had almost been destroyed by her absence. He felt her desperation and joy as she kissed him ever more deeply.

They were so wrapped up in themselves, they never heard the sirens getting closer. They never heard Sesshoumaru ask what had taken Myoga so long to get there with the authorities. They never saw the paramedics get shooed away by Sango. They never heard her ask them to leave them be for just a little while longer.

It was a while before they even noticed anyone else was in the same room with them, watching them stare deeply into each other's eyes as they conversed in a way that no one else could hear.

________________________

That's it for this chapter. Stay tuned for the epilogue which will be coming soon…hopefully.


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